Mountains set the stage for grand performances whether as inspiration or setting: Greer Grimsley as Wotan
Inspired by the mountains and natural beauty, tenor Pedro Rodelas returned from the Grand Teton Music Festival where Donald Runnicles conducts. The maestro has departed from San Francisco Opera until next June as most know. Meanwhile Pedro, the musical comedian/opera singer begins rehearsals at the end of August for Yosemite's Bracebridge Dinner. This three hour musical comedy and feast takes place at the olde English lodge the Ahwahnee in Yosemite.
Peformances at Yosemite and in the Grand Tetons seem to celebrate the season whether summer or winter.
You will notice a wide variety of performers this year at the Grand Teton Music Festival, including baritone Eric Owens who sang Porgy in his debut at San Francisco Opera this summer. Pedro tells me Eric didn't sing after all but another fine baritone took his place.
Frank Lopardo performs, pictured below left with Pedro. He’s the tenor who sang the rake of a duke in Rigoletto when I was a supernumerary in Seattle in October of 2004, a guest at his royal carnival party.
Meanwhile tenor Pedro Rodelas seems to share Ansel Adams' love of photography and natural grandeur. Some of Pedro’s shots from the Tetons follow.
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The race to the bottom . . .
The cycle of inspiration continues as Pedro takes pictures of art inspired by the Teton wilderness and wildlife (isn’t that a city slicker term?). Does Native American art honoring the spirits pre-date the Ring Cycle anti-heroes, Wotan with his contracts carved into his spear?
An Indian value in public school: Don't waste, use the entire buffalo.
Donald Runnicles serves as music director at the Teton Festival, which runs through mid August. Pictured below: Pedro, Amy, Maestro.
Pedro comments on the photo above. In my picture with Donald is Amy Giovannetti, soprano, with whom I’ve sung a few concerts in Mendocino and will likely (not confirmed) be playing my secret wife in Cimarosa’s “Il Matrimonio Segreto” in February 2010 with the Mendocino Chamber Opera in Mendocino, CA, under the direction of Richard Goodman who was one of the founders of Berkeley Opera (small world, isn’t it?). Amy and I first met back in 2001 when with were part of the cast for Livermore Valley Opera’s production of “Gianni Schicchi. She also sang at Bracebridge last year.
The mountains with their snowy peaks seem inspire the Scottish maestro who will be returning to Scotland. Most probably know Runnicles finished his tenure at San Francisco Opera recently with La Traviata and the Verdi Requiem although choral director Ian Robertson of Scotland remains. Here's Ian at the Teton Music Festival, with Pedro on the far right.
However Runnicles will return to SF next summer to conduct Wagner’s Die Walkure with baritone Mark Delavan.
Die Walkure forms the second link in the four part epic, the Ring Cycle. Seattle Opera stages the entire cycle this month three times with Greer Grimsley, whose name is Scottish. Full of fire and river water flowing; a Biblical mountaintop sacrifice (pictured at the top of this article), the seventeen hour Ring Cycle seems majestic if not breathtaking. It’s timeless with the forces of nature both human and natural fighting to the death. From the underworld of the Nibelung dwarves to the fortress of the gods of Valhalla. From the watery depths to the heights of the mountaintops and the Great Beyond. Magical enough to call it a Harry Potter for adults even with short attention spans.
Here is a photo of the Rhinemaidens swimming. They torment the cursed Alberich who forsakes love for gold. From Die Walkure of the Ring Cycle starting in Seattle.
The mountains set the stage for grand performances, whether as inspiration or location.
I'm dedicating this article then to the friend who will accompany me to Seattle for the marathon Ring Cycle as he likes the mountains. "I have a short attention span" he warns. Yet it's a once in a lifetime experience and he keeps sight of what's valuable in life.
In closing, the mythic Ring Cycle involves characters who weather power struggles and the power of love in a primal setting, for example when Wotan the god of Valhalla sacrifices his daughter by the goddess of the Earth in the name of his wife, essentially ending both relationships. He becomes a wanderer instead of living with his family in his fortress in Valhalla. Janice Baird sings the role of our heroine, Brunnhilde, a survivor and champion of love, pictured below. Long live Brunnhilde.
Seattle Ring Photos: Chris Bennion, Rosarii Lynch
Teton Photos: Pedro Rodelas
For more info: www.SFOpera.com, www.SeattleOpera.org, www.gtmf.org
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Maestro Donald Runnicles to be honored before stepping down
Ahwahnee at Yosemite hosts 84th olde English Bracebridge Dinner this Christmas
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Porgy & Bess a religious experience
Wotan shares his dressing room
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Oscar Wilde and the 'love that dares not speak it's name'
Opera announces 2009/2010 season
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