The Ring at Bastille

Wagner’s centenary is upon us,  and all the big opera houses of Europe seem to be on their starting blocks to present « their » Ring – Vienna, Milan, Berlin to name only a few, and they are joined by  newcomers like Sofia, which will be presenting it for the first time…
Naturally Paris is not to be left out, and will be presenting his Tetralogy up until June, directed by Gunther Krämer, the event is even more hotly anticipated as it’s been more than fifty years since the Opéra de Paris put this legendary epic saga on its stage. It has to be said that with fifteen hours of music over four evenings, the undertaking is no small feat. As such, the forces of France’s leading opera house will literally be absorbed by the Wagner cycle which will play at Bastille from June 19 to 26 – the latest lyric production by the orchestra of the Opéra, La Gioconda, ends May 31.

But for afficionados, there’s nothing like immersing yourself in this world of gods and heros killing each other, which strangely resembles our own, and which only the hope of redemption through Love can illuminate. Distinct from intensely political readings like Patrice Chéreau’s production which caused a scandal in Beirut in 1976, before being hailed as a triumph four years later on the same « Green Hill », Gunther Krämer here delivers an illustrative reading which brings together all the common themes of German style Regietheater – one remembers among others, the Valkyries dressed as nurses washing the naked blood-soaked heros. Only the Götterdämmerung stands out as having a certain sobriety. No doubt this is deliberate, because it’s certainly the most beautiful episode, in which Wagner’s aesthetic realizes its full potential. Accomplished Wagnerian, Philippe Jordan, the Musical Director of the Opéra de Paris, here reveals all its beauty with incomparable clarity. His work alone makes this Tetralogy worth seeing, with tickets likely only remaining in category 1 at more than 150 euros. And more… In which case, go ahead and try your luck, there are always people selling tickets at the last minute because their friend can’t make it ! Good luck to you, the next tetralogy might not be for another half-century !

Opéra Bastille from June 19 to 26, infos

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