Singers vs Director at La Scala Walkuere (the Arizona Republic)

MILAN, Italy (AP) - no speech by an orchestra pit again. No gag demonstrators outside. No parade of political and social celebrities.But second performance season of Richard Wagner "Die Walkuere" Friday night at La Scala was a bit of news: unexpectedly for an exciting Dutch tenor, Frank van Aken debut, in the role of Siegmund.While Daniel Barenboim performed note filled with magic - with some ones ragged - moments reading van Aken and the rest of the excellent distribution coped courageously with a new production by Director Guy Cassiers which seems to offer two bad ideas for the good each one.Italy first opera was staged in four-part "Ring" cycle of Wagner at the rate of an opera, a year in production shared with Berlin Staatsoper unter den Linden. "Die Walkuere,"the second article, shows Wotan, King of the gods, fails in his attempt to escape the curse he has himself by theft ring gold." At the end of the Opera, he sent his son, Siegmund, died in battle and skinned, favorite daughter, Bruennhilde his immortality, put her to sleep on a rock surrounded by production fire.Gone ballet dancers who mingled the principal singers's "Das Rheingold." last season Instead of this, Cassiers gives us a mixture of symbols clogging up the scene, with endless disorders videos projected on the walls behind the videos sets.These especially away from action, instead of adding an overview. In 2 of the Act, for example, a large metal globe rotates above Wotan head while he resumed the plot in a crucial monologue. As images morph to concentrate on the surface of the globe, our attention is drawn inevitably try to decipher the and away from the Wotan.occasionally, projections are effective. To the Sisters of the "ride of the Valkyries" as the Bruennhilde sing carry hero dead at Valhalla, a mass twisted bodies, some humans, some equine, evocative writhe in background.But Cassiers cannot leave, although it is in advance. This mass disperses into fragmentary that keep metastizing by the next scene, interfering with some of the most sublime of Wagner, including the Cree ecstatic character "O hehrstes Wunder!" when she learns she is pregnant with Siegmund child.To Music put an end to the evening shapes, magic fire which Wotan convenes to protect the Bruennhilde arrives looking like a cluster of Sun in a salon tanning descended on his form of sleep, lamps drip what appears to be wax.Amid rigging, interpreters were fairly little to get only. Sieglinde, mezzo-soprano Waltraud Meier sang and acted with its riveting custom intensity even if the age is draining some heat of her voice. Bass Vitalij Kowaljow sings music requiring Wotan relentlessly and with a strong, pleasant tone, but considerably impression.Soprano Nina Stemme, he just as close to perfect as Bruennhilde is today gave a show of fire, with a constant, dynamic sound range. It must also obtain a price of sportsmanship to tolerate ugliest dress night, a dark dress, inlaid glitter had a huge pouch tissue crammed and suspended behind his Aken, waist.Van learned only Thursday that he would be to substitute o ' Neill ill Simon showed promise to be winches to the ranks of heldentenors, who specialize in Scrum roles more heavy. He had some difficulty maintaining certain passages, low, but expanded and strengthened as she climbed globally on a ringtone, voice heroic quality to the top.Completing soloists ranks were some expressed rich mezzo Ekaterina Gubanova as Wotan, Fricka and bass John Tomlinson, who blasted sinister low as Sieglinde, Hunding.At season Tuesday, opening, her husband before Barenboim notes has lifted his baton, he launched an appeal to the President of the Italy sitting area Royal to protect threatened against budget cuts Italy cultural institutions. Outside of the police of the Opera that are faced with demonstrators protesting cuts to culture and upper education.On Friday, of Barenboim focused on achieving. He chose boldly slow tempos in places where other drivers accelerate, like in music that describes the flight Siegmund and Sieglinde through the forest. He had on several occasions section of wood to the forefront, adding to heat not accustomed to passages.But many had serious problems of coordination between the Orchestra and soloists. With van Aken, given the lack of rehearsal time is understandable. With other singers, less.