Wagner Society Blogs

The Lyric Opera of Chicago announced plans to present a new production of the Der Ring des Nibelungen, beginning in October 2016 with Das Rheingold.

The new production will be conducted by Andrew Davis and the production will be designed by David Pountney. American Wagnerians Christine Goerke and Eric Owens will star as the father-daughter duo Brünnhilde and Wotan.

Complete Ring cycles are scheduled for April 2020.

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Posted January 14, 2014

Joan Lam sends a link to yet another enterprising video which settles once and for all, who is the greater composer. Well, maybe!

Enjoy!

http://the-wagnerian.com/2014/01/wagner-vs-verdi-movie.html

Posted January 8, 2013

For those Pilgrims who didn't make it to Tirane, Albania, tenor Roy Stevens has forwarded some You Tube video clips from the production of Tannhäuser in the Albanian capital. The Wagner Society provided support for this project with grants from the William O. Cord Memorial Grant Fund.

Posted January 8, 2014

Our Board Member Joan Lam sent this link to view excerpts of the 2013 Bayreuth Ring:

http://the-wagnerian.com/2013/12/video-of-castorfbayreuth-ring-2013.html

Enjoy!

Posted January 6, 2014

The Seattle Opera has just announced that there will be a special concert celebrating the career of the outgoing General Director Speight Jenkins. This Farewell Gala will take place, on August 9, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in the Marion Oliver McCaw Theater. Seattle Opera has gathered together a group of great singers who will present a musical tribute to Jenkins. Excerpts from various operas will range from Bizet to Wagner.

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Posted January 5, 2014

You can hear Christian Thielemann in conversation with BBC reporter Tom Service at the following link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03nc1wq

Thielemann discusses what is needed to be an effective conductor. Thielemann describes how every evening in the concert hall or orchestra pit is different, the singer effect and the acoustic effect.

This is a really compelling interview available on demand for a few days.

Posted December 22, 2013

This is the first Wagner performed in Cuba since the Castro Regime gained control of the island nation. The Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatro de La Habana performed under the baton of the young company’s director Eduardo Diaz, with singers from Cuba and beyond. Here are some photos:

Posted December 19 , 2013

In an article published in British Medical Journal, scientists claim that migraines inspired Wagner's writings. The researchers note that Wagner complained of headaches during the period when Siegfried was composed. The researchers suggest that Wagner poured his own personal pain into the music.

You can read more in this article in the UK publication The Telegraph

Posted December 19, 2013

The Film Distributor Screenvision has announce US distribution of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden production of Parsifal will be screened in HD. This is a taped transmission and not live.

The cast is fabulous:

Parsifal - Simon O'Neill; Kundry - Angela Denoke; Gurnemanz - René Pape; Amfortas - Gerald Finley; Klingsor - Willard White in a Stephen Langridge production is conducted by Antonio Pappano

Local screenings are as follows:

Posted December 13, 2013

Starting today you can stream the audio of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Parsifal. This production features a stellar cast led by Wagner Society of Northern California Grant Awardee Simon O'Neill. The stream will be available for five days.