Wagner: Das Rheingold

Wagner: Das Rheingold (1980)

This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.

star 6.4 8.4
  • Release Date: 1980-08-12
  • Runtime: 2h 23min
  • Director: Brian Large

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Trailer

Cast

  • Pierre Boulez

    Self - Conductor

  • Donald McIntyre

    Wotan

  • Martin Egel

    Donner

  • Siegfried Jerusalem

    Froh

  • Heinz Zednik

    Loge

  • Hermann Becht

    Alberich

  • Helmut Pampuch

    Mime

  • Matti Salminen

    Fasolt

  • Ilse Gramatzki

    Wellgunde

  • Fritz Hübner

    Fafner

  • Carmen Reppel

    Freia

  • Marga Schiml

    Flosshilde

  • Hanna Schwarz

    Fricka

  • Norma Sharp

    Woglinde

  • Ortrun Wenkel

    Erda

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