{"id":17677,"date":"2022-11-14T17:26:42","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T17:26:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/14\/ben-woodward-sets-off-again-on-the-ring-road-with-regents-operas-virtuosic-orchestra-and-strong-cast-seen-and-heard-international\/"},"modified":"2022-11-14T17:26:43","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T17:26:43","slug":"ben-woodward-units-off-once-more-on-the-ring-street-with-regents-operas-virtuosic-orchestra-and-powerful-solid-seen-and-heard-international","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/14\/ben-woodward-units-off-once-more-on-the-ring-street-with-regents-operas-virtuosic-orchestra-and-powerful-solid-seen-and-heard-international\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Woodward units off once more on the Ring street with Regents Opera\u2019s virtuosic orchestra and powerful solid \u2013 Seen and Heard International"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"UnitedUnited Kingdom<\/span><\/span><\/span> Wagner, Das Rheingold<\/em>: <\/span><\/strong>Soloists, Orchestra of Regents Opera \/ Benjamin Woodward (conductor). Grand Temple, Freemasons Hall, London, 13.11.2022. (JPr)<\/p>\n

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Jillian Finnamore (l, Woglinde), Justine Viani (Wellgunde) and Mae Heydorn (r, Flosshilde) \u00a9 Steve Gregson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Production:
<\/strong>Director \u2013 Caroline Staunton
Music director \u2013 Ben Woodward
Studienleiter<\/em> \u2013 Paul Plummer<\/p>\n

Cast:
<\/strong>Woglinde \u2013 Jillian Finnamore
Wellgunde \u2013 Justine Viani
Flosshilde \u2013 Mae Heydorn
Alberich \u2013 Oliver Gibbs
Wotan \u2013 Keel Watson
Fricka \u2013 Ingeborg Novrup B\u00f8rch
Loge \u2013 James Schouten
Donner \u2013 Andrew Mayor
Freia \u2013 Charlotte Richardson
Froh \u2013 Calvin Lee
Mime \u2013 Holden Madagame
Fasolt \u2013 Henry Grant Kerswell
Fafner \u2013 Craig Lemont Walters
Erda \u2013 Mae Heydorn<\/p>\n

Ever since I first noticed them of their authentic residence at Fulham\u2019s St John\u2019s Church, Fulham Opera (now reincarnated as Regents Opera) have tended to punch above their weight. Having already achieved a Ring <\/em>cycle there between 2011 and 2014 \u2013 albeit solely accompanied by piano and some devices \u2013 they’re able to problem London\u2019s two main opera firms by staging a brand new cycle between now and 2024. Barrie Kosky\u2019s new Ring <\/em>at Covent Garden will start with Das Rheingold <\/em>in September 2023 however the rival Richard Jones one by English National Opera is more likely to fall on the subsequent fence due to all their present monetary woes after simply Die Walk\u00fcre <\/em>and the forthcoming Das Rheingold. <\/em>(This may come as a blessed aid to the co-producing Metropolitan Opera, however that’s one other story!)<\/p>\n

\u2018Punch above their weight\u2019 is what Regents Opera proceed to do \u2013 a minimum of musically \u2013 with this Das Rheingold<\/em>. For me, the solid and the orchestra of 19 (taking part in Ben Woodward\u2019s good new association) surpass the Wagnerian soundworld I typically get from Longborough Festival Opera with their infinitely higher sources. As regular it’s not possible to know the place this Ring<\/em> is headed from simply this Rheingold. <\/em>I used to be at all times going to refer readers to a current Berlin overview (click on right here<\/a>) of this \u2018preliminary evening\u2019 to the Ring <\/em>in a manufacturing by Dimitri Tcherniakov earlier than realising that Regents Opera\u2019s director, Caroline Staunton, was his assistant there. (I additionally solely learn her programme essay trying to clarify the Konzept<\/em> for her Ring<\/em> on the best way residence, although fortunately I had labored that out, such because it at present is.)<\/p>\n

Kudos to Regents Opera for presenting this Das Rheingold<\/em> in between the viewers filling the Grand Temple of London\u2019s Freemasons Hall which is as imposing a venue as, I believe, they’ve ever carried out in. There is a raised rectangular platform and on it have been a number of pedestals with modest \u2013 and eclectic \u2013 artworks on most of them (was {that a} small Snoopy I noticed within the distance?). My first ideas have been a museum because the Rhinemaidens roamed round analyzing them earlier than Alberich emerged from a trough within the centre of the performing house (which might be lined and uncovered as required). The blue lighting prompt the Rhine and so started the issues with this staging, as there was no actual house for Alberich\u2019s pursuit of the Rhinemaidens and so they simply wandered spherical and spherical.<\/p>\n

Staunton is clearly as disciple of Tcherniakov however whereas his Rhinemaidens are laboratory assistants with clipboards in the beginning, Staunton\u2019s simply look, nicely, like Rhinemaidens of their vibrant flouncy robes. So it continues: we may be seeing three flooring (River Rhine, mountaintop and Nibelheim) of a gallery \u2013 because the objet d\u2019artwork are swopped about, although the characters inhabiting them look as they may do in any Rheingold<\/em>, with recognisable costumes and simply differing make-up, face paint or tribal markings. <\/em>Just like Berlin, because the opera proceeds, other than these costumes there may be little or no else that Wagner may recognise other than a hoop. Its energy seems to be an phantasm as are the remainder of the magical occasions we see. Tcherniakov has no \u2018real\u2019 gold or Tarnhelm, and neither does Staunton though Freia will finally be swathed in gold foil in an try to cover her. Staunton gives a small podium (apparently based mostly on the Fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square) the place we get some efficiency artwork. Notably this includes a bare-chested Alberich \u2013 Oliver Gibbs and never a fairly sight, sorry! \u2013 having smeared himself with gold physique make-up miming placing one thing on his head and turning right into a dragon after which a frog. Oddly \u2013 but in a very efficient scene \u2013 Erda in white approached by means of the orchestra just like the Ghost of Christmas Past and one ought to marvel what this needed to do with anything we noticed, however I repeat, it’s most likely a lot too early to fret about this. Elsewhere, we do see one in every of Freia\u2019s apples as a silver \u2013 although not gold \u2013 object, Donner places down a hammer on one of many pedestals (though it appears to be like like a deal with had been put right into a stable piece of tiramisu) and there’s a spear there all through the opera which Wotan touches as soon as (solely because the final notes of Rheingold <\/em>die away).<\/p>\n

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Henry Grant Kerswell (Fasolt), James Schouten (Loge) and Keel Watson (Wotan) \u00a9 Steve Gregson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The taking part in by the orchestra is virtuosic and Woodward carried out a fluid, pacey, vibrant account of the rating with an instinctive really feel for its dramatic construction. The novel answer to the anvils for the Descent and Ascent from Nibelheim are nearly value your ticket cash alone and sound significantly better than heard in (even) extra prestigious venues. I had solely minor quibbles about a number of the solid \u2013 some singing their roles for the primary time \u2013 although personally, I’d have wished Regents Opera to have given British singers extra alternatives; however the Rheingold<\/em> ensemble is very sturdy. The at all times dependable Keel Watson is a commanding Wotan and offers a considerate portrayal of a god who thinks he has every little thing underneath his management, while unwittingly sowing the seeds of his personal destruction. Oliver Gibbs surpasses anything I’ve heard him sing with a fearsomely aggressive and feeling exhausting completed by Alberich.<\/p>\n

I additionally significantly preferred James Schouten\u2019s well-sung Loge, who was the grasp manipulator this character should be, together with his Byronic hair there was greater than a suggestion of glam rock about him. Also impressing have been Ingeborg Novrup B\u00f8rch together with her enticing mezzo voice because the reproachful, possessive Fricka, Henry Grant Kerswell was the lumbering lovelorn Fasolt (suppose Lennie in Of Mice and Men<\/em>), and Charlotte Richardson sang Freia with a splendidly recent sound. One of the most effective singers for me was Mae Heydorn who was Flosshilde and in addition Erda when she eerily intoned her prophecy of the gods\u2019 eventual doom with darkish, sonorous tones. The voices of the Rhinemaidens (Jillian Finnamore, Justine Viani and Mae Heydorn) blended nicely and Holden Madagame\u2019s Mime, in addition to Andrew Mayor\u2019s Donner have been strongly sung. Craig Lemont Walters didn\u2019t make an excellent impression as Fafner on this event and Calvin Lee \u2013 whose in depth biography suggests he’s a personality tenor \u2013 sounded as if he was auditioning for Siegfried.<\/p>\n

I at all times suggest Regents Opera performances and please see both of the 2 remaining performances (on 17 and 19 November) and the next Ring<\/em> operas and see the way it all works out ultimately.<\/p>\n

Jim Pritchard<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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[ad_1] United Kingdom Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists, Orchestra of Regents Opera \/ Benjamin Woodward (conductor). Grand Temple, Freemasons Hall, London, 13.11.2022. (JPr) Jillian Finnamore (l, Woglinde), Justine Viani (Wellgunde) and Mae Heydorn (r, Flosshilde) \u00a9 Steve Gregson Production:Director \u2013 Caroline StauntonMusic director \u2013 Ben WoodwardStudienleiter \u2013 Paul Plummer Cast:Woglinde \u2013 Jillian FinnamoreWellgunde \u2013 Justine VianiFlosshilde […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-17677","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-theatre"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}