I missed the live broadcast Saturday- the monthly meeting of my Knitting Group met in the morning followed by a little chat with a couple of the gals at the new local cafe (Black Cat); then its was on to my mother’s to help watch my 6 year old nephew while his parents attended the matinee of HAPPY DAYS at BAM.

I did manage to sneak in a little listen at the beginning of Act Two and the last 15 mins of Act Three… but once I came home – after watching an extremely emotional episode of Law and Order SUV (the one where Stabler’s very pregnant wife is in a car crash with Olivia) I came to the computer for a little email and blog reading and found myself starting the recording.

and well, then it is 4 something o’clock in the morning… and that glorious fire music has just died away.

This has always been one of my Favorites of the Ring – and the cast was pretty good – Morris of course I admire in this role – such humanity he brings to Wotan (well he is the only Wotan I have seen live so I guess I am a bit prejudiced but still I really like his interpretation of this role).  Lisa Gasteen as Brunhilde was fine – I thoroughly enjoyed the all important final scenes with Wotan – and while she was a little squawky on top sometimes – well, I’ll take a little of that to hear the opera.  Ms Voigt was incredible as is expected nowadays and Ms deYoung in top form as well.

I will need to listen a few more times to discern Maazel’s interpretational details… I am very accustomed to Maestro Levine’s readings.  I did hear a little bit of the opening night on Sirius; this performance sounds a bit more relaxed and balanced and less frenetic than that.  I am sure the Orchestra was more settled as well – not many other conductors have a chance at Wagner in the Met house with that orchestra.   [I think I heard a BOO in the conductor’s bows…but it wasn’t that loud so am not sure.]

On the whole I was impressed with the timbre of the sound and the arc of the pacing of the opera…more as I listen several more times.

Cast

Conductor: Lorin Maazel
Brünnhilde: Lisa Gasteen
Sieglinde: Deborah Voigt
Fricka: Michelle DeYoung
Siegmund: Clifton Forbis
Wotan: James Morris
Hunding: Mikhail Petrenko

The Production Team

Production: Otto Schenk
Set and Projection Designer: Günther Schneider-Siemssen
Costume Designer: Rolf Langenfass
Lighting Designer: Gil Wechsler
Stage Director: Phebe Berkowitz