Gustavo Dudamel led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a staged performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold with three shows Jan. 18 to 21. Saturday night’s performance was a cozy comfort on a rainy and chilly weekend.
My companion and I had seats in Orchestra East, overlooking the stage which was turned into a giant orchestra pit. They were prime seats to observe the huge orchestra — which featured six harps and eight horns including Wagner tubas — and the ever-expressive and enthusiastic Dudamel who is a joy to watch conduct. Those seats also put us as close as you could get to the stage constructed above the pit with platforms that brought performers within mere feet of us. A friend seated nearby exclaimed: “Donner struck the hammer right in front of us!” What a treat it was to experience that kind of intimacy with a Wagner opera.
Wagner called Das Rheingold a “Fore-Evening” to the three other operas in the Ring Cycle, and it is traditionally presented without intermission. Dudamel stood and conducted for two and a half hours without break and never seemed to flag in energy. It was a night full of drama and beauty and magic exploring a timeless myth.
The production was called a celebration of Frank Gehry, the architect of the incredible landmark Walt Disney Concert Hall which celebrates its 20th anniversary. Gehry handled scenic design, which featured platforms build of the beautiful wood used throughout the hall. The scenery was a natural extension of the hall that brought a certain feeling of intimacy and warmth, reinforced by the glowing orange boxes of “Rhine gold.” Tube lighting along the floor did more than you’d believe possible to create atmosphere, like the shimmering Rhine River or the rainbow bridge to Valhalla. All of the costumes were gorgeously imagined. The gods’ outfits were jewel-like in tones of gold with various textures and layers, and the Rhinemaidens’ dresses resembled flowing water in silky shades of blue.
Of course, all those things were icing on the cake when you consider Dudamel and the orchestra — always phenomenal and that night impressive in their number and volume — and the immensely talented singer/actors. The Rhinemaidens, the first singers on the scene, blew me away with their enchanting voices — Ann Toomey, Alexandria Shiner and Taylor Raven. Soprano Jessica Faselt (Freia) could have blown the roof off the place — too bad her singing parts were few and brief. While everyone in the ensemble was remarkable, my other personal favorites were the mesmerizing bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green (Wotan) and bass Morris Robinson (Fasolt) whose voice loomed as large as the giant he portrayed.
The night was practically flawless. My only qualm (shared by my companion and our friend at least) was that the supertitles were barely legible. Instead of being projected on the wood that boxes in the seats on either side of the organ (as has been done in the past), the words were projected on translucent (and rippled!) fabric draped over that wood, where video projections of a ring, flowing water and other elements also appeared. Oh well, we just went with the flow of the production which moved as effortlessly as the Rhine itself.
Dudamel has staged operas at Disney Hall in the past (including the Mozart/Da Ponte operas), and let’s hope there are more productions like this to enjoy in years to come.
—Julie Riggott, Culture Spot LA
For information about future LA Phil concerts, visit www.laphil.com.
Photo credit: Photographs taken by Timothy Norris at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association