“Götterdämmerung” caps Dallas Symphony’s monumental Ring cycle
Fabio Luisi and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra concluded their ambitious week-long presentation of Wagner’s Ring cycle Sunday night with its climactic conclusion, Götterdämmerung. This final chapter of the saga sees the death of the principal hero, Siegfried, and the self-sacrifice of the Valkyrie, Brünnhilde—events that are prefigured by the curse of the ring and that ultimately lead to the demise of the gods and their dominion over the earth. As with the previous performances, Sunday’s concert presentation included minimal staging and lighting to enhance the drama.
Daniel Johansson continued his ingenuous characterization of Siegfried from Thursday’s performance. His strong tenor captured the eagerness with which Siegfried pursues his heroics, and the guilelessness that Johansson imbues in the title character renders his betrayal of Brünnhilde and realization of that betrayal especially poignant.
Lise Linstrom as Brünnhilde brought her soprano voice to bear on that character’s expressions of love for Siegfried in the prologue, her fury and despondency at her betrayal by her unwitting partner, and her transcendent realizations immediately before her self-immolation on the hero’s funeral pyre.
Stephen Milling’s full and resonant bass contributed strongly to his portrayal of Hagen as a duplicitous villain, carefully manipulating Gunther, Gutrune and Siegfried with his affability while secretly biding his time until the right moment when he can cast aside those he has deceived and seize the ring for himself.
Gunther and Gutrune as portrayed by baritone Roman Trekel and soprano Kathryn Henry were unwitting tools of Hagen’s machinations owing to their characters’ petty concerns. Gutrune and Gunther quickly find themselves enmeshed in events and circumstances that exceed their ability to control. Their reactions as conveyed by Henry and Trekel add significantly to the dramatic tension of the opera.
Tómas Tómasson returned as Alberich, using his rich baritone to provide an effective goad for Hagen and his personal desire for the ring. Deniz Uzun marshalled her mezzo-soprano voice for the Valkyrie Waltraute’s distraught pleadings for Brünnhilde to return the ring to the Rhinemaidens in an attempt to avoid the approaching demise of the gods.
The Norns (Tamara Mumford, Jennifer Johnson Cano and Kathryn Henry) were suitably somber and enigmatic as the mysterious tones of their conversation provided a review of the events in the saga and set up expectations for the calamitous events about to unfold.
The Rhinemaidens (Valentina Farcas, Kimberly Gratland James and Renée Tatum) initially greeted Siegfried coquettishly as they attempted to cajole the ring from him, but quickly became foreboding as they warned him of his impending death if he continued to possess it.
The semi-staging concept continued to be effective at conveying the drama, but was diminished slightly in a couple of scenes due to some errant spotlight misplacement, which—whether purposeful or a malfunction—created a distraction.
Fabio Luisi’s interpretation of the music and merging of the orchestra with the voices was again superb, fulfilling the expectations set from the beginning of the cycle. The main voices were buoyed by the Dallas Symphony Chorus, performing the role of the Gibichins in Act II. Throughout the performance, there were a few segments in which the orchestra overshadowed the principal voices, but these were isolated instances.
The orchestra came to the fore particularly well in the expected passages, notably Siegfried’s Rhine Journey and a particularly intense and dynamic rendition of Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene.
The dramatic high point for the orchestra came during the interlude between Scenes 2 and 3 of Act III, “Siegfried’s Funeral March.” The especially dramatic rendition, which saw Luisi energetically coaxing somber and tragic strains from the brass section, accompanied members of the male chorus as they paraded slowly and solemnly across a darkened stage, adding a recently deceased Siegfried in the form of Johansson to their ranks as they disappeared into the right stage entrance.
The Dallas Symphony’s staging of Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle was a truly remarkable event and one that one can hope bodes well for similar operatic undertakings in the future.
Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsythe join members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for a chamber concert October 28 and 29. The program includes Beethoven’s String Trio in C minor, Op. 9, no. 3, and Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1. dallassymphony.org