Müller's Tristan will be released in June

I am excited to see that Deutsche Grammophon is releasing Heiner Müller's production of Tristan und Isolde in June. Daniel Barenboim is conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra in a mesmerizing production. The title roles are sung by Siegfried Jerusalem and Waltraud Meier.

Heiner Müller's production of Tristan und Isolde on DVD

Tristan und Isolde on DVD

Two faces of Fricka

How do you visualize the Fricka character? Like an un-intelligent, limited, hysterical Hausfrau that is restricting Wotan in his vigorous development? Or is she a noble, strong and fair woman – Wotan's match?

As a man, there's no wonder I've often wanted to tell Fricka to shut up and let Wotan be. I mean, why can't we men be left alone doing our business? Is it really not understandable that we hide in the mountains and mess around mit dem Wassergezücht and mysterious ladies solemnly erecting from the ground? Clean the table, empty the dishwasher, look after the kids, turn off the TV, come home for dinner, why are you so late, we hardly ever talk anymore, I'm having my period now so leave me alone, I need more money, remove your socks. You've heard this before?

The Fricka character is crucial to the plot, but she often gives directors headache. Listen to Christa Ludwig on the Solti recording of Die Walküre, and you really get a wonderful sense of Fricka's stature.

The picture at the top is taken from a production of Die Walküre at Tiroler Festspiele in Erl.

This is Fricka anno 1896:



Photo from Tiroler Festspiele in Erl: tiroler festspiele erl/larl
Read a review by Erling E. Guldbrandsen of the complete Ring at Tiroler Festspiele (in Norwegian)

11 days to learn Kundry (Did you know?)

Metropolitan Opera gave Kirsten Flagstad 11 days (!) to learn the Kundry part before she should sing it.

During the first performance she actually fell asleep on the stage, at a point where Kundry was lying face down.

Wagneropera.net

A new site for all of you interested in Richard Wagner has just been launched: Wagneropera.net. Check out the interview with Bayreuth regular Graham Clark, who has done more than 350 Wagner performances. His signature roles are Loge in Das Rheingold and Mime in Siegfried. You can see him in these roles in both Kupfer Rings available on DVD, the one from Bayreuth and the one from Barcelona.

Graham Clark is currently playing in a new production of Punch and Judy at English National Opera.

Other interviews with great Wagner singers will follow.

We are looking for good writers who can write articles and reviews.

Scandinavian reading Wagnerians will also find great stuff on the Norwegian site Wagneropera.no