Siegfried

I first saw this opera on television when I was eight years old and loved it. I'd never seen an opera before (I was eight!) and this entire production of The Ring had me completely captivated. I watched every night (at least the beginning, I couldn't stay up that late) and it was such a treat for me. I never forgot this production, and I'm so glad that they've released the whole set on DVD, it's beautiful. Siegfried Jerusalem and Hildegard Behrens are fantastic and James Levine is, quite frankly, my hero. SIEGFRIED is my favorite opera in DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN, (it is the only one with a happy ending) but you really have to see all of them. DAS RHEINGOLD, DIE WALKURE, and GOTTERDAMMERUNG - I can't recommend them highly enough. Opera is such a big part of my life now, and it is this very production that started it for me.

Siegfried grows up in the care of the shifty Niebelung Mime, who hopes that one day the hero will slay the dragon Fafner and give him the ring of power. The fallen god Wotan wanders through the land, acting as a guardian angel for Siegfried, just as the power-crazed Niebelung Lord Alberich plots the lad's death.

Opera on video is often a mixed-blessing. It can not substitute for a stage experience and is often limited to compensating for lack of atmosphere with excessive use of close-ups. Because most filmed opera is lit for a present audience and not for a camera, the photography is often wanting. This Met version of Wagner's Ring Cycle has been blessed with extraordinary mythic sets, beautiful costumes and some admirable effects that, for the most part, stand up to the closest scrutiny.

The DVD of this collection's "Rheingold" is essential. The director perfectly translated the stage magic to the screen. "Die Walküre" fell short in places, because the setting was more claustrophobic - the big scene, the ride of the Valkyries, was a bit of a disappointment - and thus the production fell back on close-ups and unimaginative framing. Along comes "Siegfried". After a stunning prelude, and the setting in motion of the story, Wagner's narrative is now running at full speed, and many of the cycle's best scenes so far. The music is admittedly less showy than in the previous installments, but "Siegfried" is not without its wondrous moments: Mime and Wanderer's confrontation, the Dragon's lament, the Forest Murmur, and - yet again - anything featuring Alberich...

The stage setting is for the most part awe-inspiring, and the stage direction - again for the most part - is wonderfully dynamic and controlled. Video director Brian Large's camera is once again on the same form it was in the Met's "Rheingold". The performances are great, and if Siegfried Jerusalem and Hildegard Behrens portray a more grounded and human Siegfried and Brunhild than one might be used to, there is just no overstating one fact: James Morris (Wotan), Heinz Zednick (Mime) and most of all Ekkehard Wlaschiha (Alberich) are superb.

This opera experience is slightly let down by a structural problem, compounded by unimaginative stage directing and design: after two sweeping and compelling acts, Act III is just exposition, with two dimly lit characters against an utterly black backdrop. Another point of controversy is the depiction of the Dragon. While admirable in very wide shots, when viewed up close, the monster can only be described as - to quote a shrewd amazon reviewer - a heap of garbage bags.

Again, this should not discourage prospective buyers/watchers. This set remains the one to buy if you're after authenticity. The audio may not match a high quality studio recording, but what is lost in clarity is made up for with passion and scope. Essential.

I got the video of this opera from the library. Siegfried Jerusalem is wonderful as Siegfried--he truly evokes a character who was raised without fear and has a fascination with the world. James Morris was great as Wotan as well, and of course, without Zednik as Mime, it would not even be worth seeing. It was the first Wagnerian opera I have ever seen, and it seemed to move right along, until Act 3. I did not detect any passion between Siegfried and Brunnhilde, and it seems they ran out of scenery by that act also. Maybe I missed it, but where was the ring of fire? Otherwise, this opera should appeal to modern youth, who are inclined towards films or videos that are fantasy based, without any Wagnerian interpretations.

Having loved the Met productions of Das Rheingold and Die Walkure I knew I wanted to see Siegfried. And I thought it was fantastic. If there was any disappointment it was the design of dragon Fafner, Matti Salminen sings brilliantly but the design itself looks rather cheap and not as menacing as it should.

Wagner's music is still brilliant, with the Wanderer and Mime's confrontation, Fafner's lament and the Forest murmur, but I find the music to the other three operas a little more memorable.

However despite my 9/10 rating, there are a few improvements to Die Walkure. The staging is less claustrophobic, I do have to agree that Ride of the Valkyries was a little disappointing(but actually that was the only fault I had with the production), Siegfried Jerusalem's Siegfried is a little more at ease and charismatic than Gary Lakes' Siegmund and Hildegard Behrens is more comfortable here as Brunhilde acting-wise, though it's Gotterdamerung where she really does come into her own.

The costume and set design are wonderfully grandiose here, and the video directing continues to impress. The orchestra are truly outstanding here as well, with the best account possibly of Siegfried's Horn Call on DVD, and James Levine again brings out the complexity of the score more than ably. The story after the exquisite prelude moves swiftly with very rare a dull lull.

Jerusalem and Behrens aside, James Morris proves why Wotan/The Wanderer is one of his best roles, while Mime and Alberich both come very close to stealing the show. Overall, a fantastic production. 9/10 Bethany Cox