RHENGULDET, STOCKHOLM, MAJ 2017

MEDVERKANDE

Wotan – John Lundgren

Donner – Kristian Flor

Froh – Joel Annmo

Loge – Jonas Degerfeldt

Alberich – Johan Edholm

Mime – Niklas Björling Rygert

Fasolt – Lennart Forsén

Fafner – Rasmus Bodén

Fricka – Katarina Dalayman

Freia – Susanna Stern

Erda – Katarina Leoson

Woglinde – Vivianne Holmberg

Wellgunde – Susann Végh

Flosshilde – Johanna Rudström

Kungliga hovkapellet. 

Dirigent: Marko Letonja. 

Regi: Staffan Valdemar Holm. 

Kungliga operan, Stockholm.

RECENSIONER

John Johnston: A highly accomplished start to Stockholm's Ring (bachtrack.com)

(...) With an unequaled tradition of Wagner performances and world-class singers, the curtain of Staffan Valdemar Holm's production did, in fact, rise on a museum gallery with glass cases full of props, set designs and historic costumes such as would have been seen in the original 1876 Max Brückner staging in Bayreuth. The Rhinemaidens, in plaid dresses and ringlets, scampered around like giddy Dickensian young ladies, teasing and flirting with a very juvenile Alberich, in knickerbockers and Eton-style collar until, almost in a fit of pique, he seizes the gold from its vitrine.

With almost Mendelssohnian orchestral accompaniment under Marko Letonja, all glittering woodwind and shimmering arpeggios, this was almost a comedic start to the cycle. (...) Letonja led a fluid, well balanced performance ensuring audibility, only lacking real weight in the interludes to and from Nibelheim and during Alberich's curse. The orchestra responded with a plating of warmth and character in their wood-panelled pit. This expository evening gave full evidence of thorough preparation and engagement, giving promise of epic events to come.

(...) Such an approach needs a tightly characterised ensemble and the Swedish cast were successful in their vivid alertness and interaction. John Lundgren, bullet-headed, youthful and overbearing, gave a world-class performance as Wotan, with a voice powerful and firm and untiring throughout its range, seizing every chance to wheel and deal. Johan Edholm as Alberich, transformed into a hard headed mill-owner, almost matched Wotan in vocal incisiveness and impact, delivering a fearsome Curse.

Katarina Dalayman, a former Sieglinde and Brünnhilde, was an unusually sympathetic Fricka, with an easy top though some unsteadiness in the lower range show that the vocal switch to mezzo roles may still need time to settle. Jonas Degerfeldt was a drily sardonic Loge, a tail-coated flâneur, casually striking a match on the sole of his boot as the gods process with their baggage off-stage into an unseen Valhalla.

(...) This fairly small house suited lighter voiced singers such as Joel Annmo's fey Froh and Susanna Stern's fresh Freia. Mime was truly sung and not whined by Niklas Björling Rygert, although the vocal steadiness of the two giants, Lennart Forsén and Rasmussen Bodén, didn't quite match up to their stature. The very present, folk-dressed Erda, Katarina Leoson, was notably deep-toned and secure in her admonition.

Camilla Lundberg: ”Rhenguldet”, ”Valkyrian” ”Nibelungens ring” på Kungliga Operan (DN)

”Rhenguldet”, av Wagner kallat ”förspel”, dock ej att förglömma. Ett riktigt teaterstycke, som Holm & Møller förvaltat med humoristisk skärpa. Här, i Wagnerskt borgerlig salong, lattjas det med torrsimmande Rhendöttrar och spelas det ful dvärg – tills det faktiskt blir allvar. Den gästande slovenske dirigenten Marko Letonja övertygar inte här; intrycket är orepeterat och ogestaltat. Men man gläds åt Jonas Degerfeldts preciöse trickster Loge och hur Johan Edholm förvandlar sin oskuldsfulle ”dvärg” till mäktig kapitalist.

Återstår att se hur Bente Lykke Møllers inomhuslåda kommer att hantera såväl drakslakt som gudarnas undergång i Ringens andra hälft.

Karin Olsson: David Baas: Wagners tid är nu (Expressen)

(...) Dvärgen Alberich – här i form av skolpojksklädde barytonsångaren Johan Edholm – roffar åt sig guldet. 

(...) Guldtjuven Alberich förvandlas till en despotisk gruvdirektör bakom det tunga skrivbordet i industrialiseringens tid. 

(...) Den eldfängde guden Loge – här görs rollen av tenoren Jonas Degerfeldt – blir ett slags kommenterande 1800-talssprätt med hög hatt.  John Lundgrens Wotan är patriarken som börjar tappa greppet, om sig, sin familj och samhället.

(...) Det förintande Ragnarökledmotivet, som återkommer i Ringens fjärde del, bär fram Wagners predikan allra mest kärnfullt när mezzosopranen Katarina Leoson, i rollen som den allvetande gudinnan Erda, sjunger med sin sorgsna stämma:

"Höre! Höre! Höre! Alles was ist, endet." Gudarnas tid är förbi. Vad gör du när den gamla ordningen rasar?

AUDIO


Sveries Radio