[Met Performance] CID:290180
New Production
Das Rheingold {115} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/9/1987.
(Debuts: Waltraud Meier, Anne Gjevang, Phillip Joll, Horst Hiestermann, Mi Hae Park, Meredith Parsons
Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
October 9, 1987
New Production
DAS RHEINGOLD {115}
Wagner-Wagner
Wotan...................James Morris
Fricka..................Waltraud Meier [Debut]
Alberich................Franz Mazura
Loge....................Siegfried Jerusalem
Erda....................Anne Gjevang [Debut]
Fasolt..................John Macurdy
Fafner..................Aage Haugland
Freia...................Mari-Anne Häggander
Froh....................Timothy Jenkins
Donner..................Phillip Joll [Debut]
Mime....................Horst Hiestermann [Debut]
Woglinde................Mi Hae Park [Debut]
Wellgunde...............Diane Kesling
Flosshilde..............Meredith Parsons (2) [Debut]
Conductor...............James Levine
Production..............Otto Schenk
Set designer............Günther Schneider-Siemssen
Costume designer........Rolf Langenfass
Lighting designer.......Gil Wechsler
Das Rheingold received eight performances this season.
Production a gift of Mrs. Donald D. Harrington
Review of Florence Stevenson in unidentified monthly publication
The performance of Richard Wagner's "Das Rheingold" at the Metropolitan Opera on October 9, was one of those nights when everything came into place for an evening of truly epic proportions. Under the inspired conducting of James Levine, the great Metropolitan Opera Orchestra realized every nuance of this magnificent score. Indeed, the effect of the music was well-nigh overpowering! The singing matched in every way and the sets were magical as they fluidly shifted from scene to scene under their cloudy covering.
Heading a cast noteworthy for its memorable singing was the powerful Wotan of bass James Morris, whose voice and acting were truly godlike. Partnering him was Waltraud Meier's Fricka in a most memorable debut. Tenor Siegfried Jerusalem's Loge was splendid both in his acting and singing and Anne Gjevang's debut as Erda was similarly superb. Mi-Hae Park and Meredith Parsons also made their Metropolitan debuts as Woglinde and Flosshilde, who, with Diane Kesling, were a most compelling trio of Rhinemaidens, while basses Aage Haugland and John Macurdy as the fearsome giants Fafner and Fasolt made equally strong impressions. Horst Hiestermann making his debut as Mime shone in his role while Mari-Anne Haggander and Timothy Jenkins as Freia and Froh rounded out this expert cast.
One of the many pleasures of the evening was the setting. In the first scene, the mighty waters of the Rhine flowed over the glittering Rhinemaidens and the magnificently ugly Alberich and, in the following scene when the confused coterie headed by Wotan fretted over the demands of the Giant-builders of Valhalla, the stretch of land upon which they stood brought to mind the cooling earth rising from the fires of creation.
The credit for this splendid realization of Wagner's mythic dreams must be shared by director Otto Schenk and by Gunther Schnieder-Siemssen who was responsible for the sets and projections. Rolf Langenfass did the costumes and Gil Wechsler contributed the evocative lighting.
Production photos of Das Rheingold by Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera.