Tonight I went to Die Walküre, Live from the Met in HD.
It was really wonderful. Siegmund stole the show for me. OK so I had a huge crush on Jonas Kaufman. Truth to be told there wasn't a singer who was anything less than stunning.
Stephanie Blythe as Fricka has a very small part in the 5 1/2 hour epic, her acting was the least engaging. She comes across as a bitchy wife and not the "moral compass" that she is supposed to be.
There are lengthy scenes of repetitious staements of love, hate, jealousy, etc. And I mean lengthy. But the talent of the singers and Wagner enveloping score make it impossible to get bored. Knowing a little about the leitmotifs really helps.
The set is a mechanical wonder and used so cleverly it is fascinating.
There are some drawbacks to HD closeups. Seeing the ends of the set marks and bolts is one. Another was watching Siegmund drool. Apparently the cutey has overactive salivary glands. Watching Sieglinde wipe it of his chin took a bit of the passion out of that love scene.
So you expected a classy review? As a Wagnerite from way back, I can only say it was an evening well spent. I can't wait to see the Trilogy completed next season. (There are four operas, but Das Rheingold is in one act and most would agree it is just a lengthy [only 3 hours long] prologue.)
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