Tonight was a good night at the Opera, albeit with a strange beginning. I saw what I consider to be the finest of the nine acts so far, but more of that in a while.
Before first curtain, Speight Jenkins General Director of the Seattle Opera came out before the packed house, and started off by announcing he didn't have bad news. Then he gave us bad news Debutant Stig Andersen who was to sing the title role of Siegfreid had been battling a virus but was going to sing anyway. The audience seemed a little perplexed by his announcement.
The curtain rose to reveal an excellent visage created by the scenery department. Spontaneous applause began in appreciation, to be promptly shushed by a smaller number in the crowd. Dennis Petersen, also making his Seattle Opera debut, continued sharpening his blacksmith's tools throughout.
He then proceeded to stun the audience with an amazing performance as Mime, brother of Alberich, and the dwarf who had reared Siegfried. Both his singing and acting were superb, and his voice carried throughout the hall over the orchestra and his diction of the German language as comprehensible of anyone we have seen so far. Andersen though struggled a little to sing over the orchestra, and one can only sympathise that he had to make his debut when not fully fit.
Nonetheless, even with that, Act I was outstanding. Petersen did even better when Greer Grimsley joined him on the stage. There was chemistry between the two as they developed the scene where Greer's Wotan first answers his three questions and then asks three of his own. It may well have been the highlight so far.
Anyway Maria Streijffert also debuted as Erda and the night finished with the scene when Bruennhilde is awakened by Siegfried. But more about that when I come back tomorrow with the review.
In the meantime, back to join the place Brunnhilde just left, deep sleep.
Comments