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Das Rheingold

 From left to right, Donner, Fasolt, Foher, Loge, Fricka, Fafner, Wotan.  Freia is in the hammock.

I found it extremely strange that the MET's cast sheet for Das Rheingold excluded the Rhein maidens.  Very strange since it is precisely the Rhein maidens and Alberich who make the first impressions in the opening.  I saw the MET HD Live performance on Oct 9, 2010 for $20 in Edgewater.  I could not afford the $1000 stage tickets.

Wotan.......Bryn Terfel
    Good singing. The straight man to Loge.
Fricka......Stephanie Blythe 
    I liked her singing but did not like her acting at all. At one point she caresses Wotan in a way that envokes 19th century French brothel.
Alberich....Eric Owens
    His physical presence and even facial description was so apt. Great singing and acting; he made you feel sorry for him.
Loge........Richard Croft
    Wonderful portrayal. His costume was very good; it looked futuristic.
Erda........Patricia Bardon
       Hauntingly beautiful alto voice. Her portrayal as a stone white face was very effective.
Fasolt......Franz-Josef Selig
Fafner......Hans-Peter König
    Both good. I liked their position on stage and their costume.
Freia.......Wendy Bryn Harmer
    She looked the part.
Froh........Adam Diegel 
    Handsome as Freia is beautiful. A bit Siegmund/Sieglinde there on stage. LOL.
Donner......Dwayne Croft
    Wow, what a thunderous voice!
Mime........Gerhard Siegel 
    I did not like his timbre. Not villianous enough.
Woglinde....Lisette Oropesa
Wellgunde...Jennifer Johnson Cano
Flosshilde..Tamara Mumford
    All wonderful.

Conductor....James Levine
    The intro was too slow. But otherwise very good. I liked how in the preview he told the orchestra to not hold back.

Production..........Robert Lepage
    The bubbles should have been bigger and more profuse. But otherwise I liked it; especially the abstract Valhalla and Donner clearing the clouds.
Associate Director..Neilson Vignola
Set Designer........Carl Fillion
Costume Designer....François St-Aubin
Lighting Designer...Etienne Boucher
Video Image Artist..Boris Firquet
TV Director.........Gary Halvorson 
       I wished he didn't focus so much on the sweaty faces of the opera singer and gave us more views of the Machine. I mean isn't that one of the big selling point for this production?