With this production, Opera North arrives at the climax of an extraordinary four-year project to present Wagner’s epic tetralogy without going out of business. It has been belt-and-braces Wagner, presented in semi-staged concert versions, yet curiously none the worse for that. The absence of a theatre means there’s no perverse directorial concept to contend with, though Peter Mumford’s atmospheric projections create a sense of the gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork) Wagner might have conceived given access to an animation programme and an iMac.

A triptych of giant screens pick out certain key images: Wotan’s ravens, Siegfried’s sword, the Norn’s broken thread; though Mumford’s visuals default for long stretches to a knotted pine texture that suggests that the Gibichungs live in a freshly creosoted shed. Placing the singers in front of the orchestra solves the balance issues, though any acting that occurs appears to be entirely optional.

The outstanding performance comes from Mats Almgren, whose gaunt, hollow-eyed Hagen conveys the sense of being consumed by the character’s corrosive malevolence. Mati Turi’s avuncular Siegfried, by comparison, approaches the part like a shot-putter lobbing heavy objects further than seems humanly possible. Alwyn Mellor’s Brunnhilde was a little squally at first, but settled to deliver the production’s most plushly impressive vocal display. Orla Boylan’s mesmerising Gutrune was not far behind and Eric Greene’s charismatic, caustic-toned Gunther proved revelatory. It was just a pity that the participation of Jo Pohlheim’s Alberich – so eye-catching in last year’s Siegfried – is limited in this opera to a single ghostly cameo.

Ultimately, however, the sheer sound-pressure levels attained during Siegfried’s funeral march exemplified that this project has principally been the orchestra’s triumph. The inspirational Richard Farnes is due to stand down after a series of full cycles in 2016 having presented Opera North with the greatest gift a music director can bestow upon a company – he has given it a Ring.

Alfred Hickling | 15 Jun 2014

The finale of Opera North’s Ring is brilliantly successful

It is a daunting task to encapsulate briefly in one review my reactions to the final complex component of Opera North’s brilliantly successful four-year series of semi-staged concert performances of Wagner’s Ring. The capacity audience at the end of the opening night in the Victorian splendour of Leeds Town Hall (much more suitable than Leeds Grand Theatre) was on its feet for an extended, well-deserved, standing ovation, which I joined. It was a tribute not just to the talents and supreme stamina of the singers who on this occasion made such imaginative use of the narrow performance strip on stage, but also to the terrific Orchestra of Opera North in general, which has made the whole project such a joy, led by the inspirational Richard Farnes, and to Peter Mumford, who has been in charge of staging, lighting and design throughout.

Mumford’s three enormous video screens carried surtitles and the same sort of elemental moving images as in previous years – flames, rocks, misty forests, endlessly gushing water, sunrise – which were once more carefully matched to sentiments and motifs, and which would produce a satisfyingly hypnotic effect on their own in some gigantic art installation. They are very much in tune with Wagner’s ideas on the integration of all arts forms for an opera. The necessarily minimal staging, despite tight restrictions, was surprisingly effective: many sequences involved slow, stately walking, the Rhinemaidens moved elegantly from one tableau to another, characters loomed, almost motionless, for many minutes, and the bow-tied chorus in Act II seemed to materialize behind the orchestra out of thin air. Gunther and Siegfried had a kind of basic mirror act, and Hagen thrust an invisible spear into Siegfried’s back, causing a token stumble and a gasping expression. Props would have been superfluous: we knew about Brünnhilde’s immolation because of what she was singing and because the concise on-screen narrative told us that she was leaping into the flames on her horse Grane, to make sure. It was more than enough.

Alwyn Mellor, a born Brünnhilde, previously seen as Minnie in La fanciulla del West, was engaging, technically brilliant and fresh throughout, from her duet with Siegfried in the Prologue’s love scene to the final conflagration, when she gave a performance which was volcanically passionate. I was particularly impressed by the interaction in Act I with Susan Bickley as Waltraute, her Valkyrie sister. Bickley gave a wonderfully subtle, intelligent and moving account of their father Wotan’s brooding existence, conveying sublime melancholy. Her warnings were quite gripping. Mati Turi as Siegfried must now be fixed in the minds of Leeds audiences as the definitive Siegfried, his powerful stage presence, that of an amiable bear, going well with a powerfully heroic, sweet-tinged voice. He has plenty of charm for a character we know as a naïve bully, a fact which came out in Act III as he told the story of how he despatched Fafner. He was particularly strong in scenes with Gunther.

Eric Greene was a superbly unpleasant Gunther, but did not exude as much murderous nastiness as the Hagen of Swedish bass Mats Almgren (Fafner in Opera North’s Siegfried last year), who captured the audience’s attention even when he was not employing his rich voice, an embodiment of evil. The dark scene at the beginning of Act II in which Jo Pohlheim’s extremely sinister Alberich, lit with reds and greens from below, clutches at him in a dream, was really disturbing. Irish soprano Orla Boylan was a convincingly emotional Gutrune.

To choose a couple of orchestral delights, Siegfried’s Funeral was stunning, as most of the audience probably expected it to be, and the tone poem in the Prologue (known in separate concert performances as Dawn) was exceptionally beautiful.

Richard Wilcocks | 15 Juni 2014

Opera North’s Ring Concludes Apocalyptically with Triumphant Götterdämmerung

It is three years since Opera North rolled its Ring Cycle into action in the dark, watery depths of the Rhine, and with this Götterdämmerung, three music dramas later, brings it (and the world) to its apocalyptic end.

So well reviewed were the previous Rheingold, Die Walküre and Siegfried that the company must have found it intimidating launching into the final stage having set such a high quality mark for itself. So far some critics have been ecstatic, one declaring, “You won’t hear better at Bayreuth”, and a year ago distinguished Wagner scholar Michael Tanner headlined his review with, “I am dreading the thought of Götterdämmerung if Opera North maintains the standard it has set with Siegfried“. He did not articulate the nature of the dread but maybe he feared the sheer power unleashed might incinerate him to destruction together with the Gods. As it turned out, he might have had some grounds for this.

One of the notable features of this Ring has been the success of the semi staging on the concert platform of Leeds Town Hall, the Victorian Gothic/neo-classic grandeur of which makes a good match for the monumentality of the Ring. Musically everything comes straight at you, the orchestra raked in such a way as to allow the elevated mighty brass section unimpeded sound lines into the auditorium. The singers, front of stage, costumed and often dramatically lit, face the audience, acting their parts but without any props. A great deal of the Ring consists in dialogue between two people but here, instead of looking at each other they stand apart and engage you, the listener, as if you were their interlocutor. The result is a musical experience impossible in the opera house.

Visually, there are three massive screens at the rear on which are projected moving images that generally suggest nature symbols such as rock, woodland, fire and so on. The words are superimposed on these.

This description of designer Peter Mumford’s vision may not sound much in print but in practice it all works remarkably well, providing a dramatic experience that could match many a lavish theatre staging.

There has been little casting consistency over the four dramas. Alwyn Mellor was not Brünnhilde in Siegfried but Sieglinde two years ago in Die Walküre. However, when Daniel Brenna, cast as Siegfried, dropped out some weeks ago the fact that Mati Turi,who sang the part a year ago, was able to step in provided a happy continuity bonus. He is my sort of Siegfried. Of stocky build he combines necessary machismo with the innocence of a cheeky, ill disciplined school boy, a characteristic enhanced by the wearing of his shirt outside his trousers in contrast to the formal contemporary dress of the other characters. Shut your eyes and you might detect a little strain at the top notes but this was of little consequence compared to the overall portrayal which was sustained with abundant exuberance.

A notable characterisation of the evening was that by Mats Almgren who, having been killed as the dragon in Die Walküre, rose again as Hagen. Lean, bald and darkly dressed with a lowering gaze he exuded menace. His splendid bass voice resonated throughout the hall, dominating as the driving force behind most that is to go wrong in the drama. Among those he manipulates are Gunther and Gutrune. American Eric Greene, who was a great deal less insipid than many Gunthers I have seen, was particularly effective in portraying a man mentally destroyed through the collapse of his self-esteem. As his sister, Orla Boylan’s Gutrune was commanding and vocally secure.

The six women who played the two trios of Norns and Rhinemaidens were all vocally and dramatically fine. There was one blip whereby one of the Rhinemaidens, whom I shall not name, seemed intent on upstaging the other two on the high note decibel front, giving an impression she was auditioning for Brünnhilde. She may well achieve that one day but this was not the context in which to demonstrate it and undermined the teamwork.

As Waltraute, Susan Bickley sang through one of the longer passages of relative repose with moving dignity.

The Vassals allow for a chorus in Act II and I do not think I have ever in my life heard a male voice choir deliver with such power and panache.

There is probably no other opera that requires so much collective stamina from players, singers and conductor. At the end of the first duet between Siegfried and Brünnhilde, Alwyn Mellor hit a roof-lifting high C that launched the orchestra into its “Journey to the Rhine” passage as if a rocket into orbit. This was a mighty climax but we were still in the Prologue in the drama and in Leeds it was only 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Surely, I thought, things have peaked too early. How can this be sustained? Well they were – and how.

Alwyn Mellor maintained her dominating presence throughout, vocally improving as the evening progressed, her multiple high notes soaring without, mercifully, excessive vibrato. She had to ride an orchestral sound louder than any you might ever hear in a Wagner performance. For some time now she has suffered the tag of “up and coming” as potentially one of the great Wagner sopranos of her generation. It is time to declare that she has arrived.

Come the ovations at around 10pm, the biggest cheer was for the orchestra. At least the singers get some respite. Not so the players. They were superb throughout, from the dark rumblings at the start, via some devastating brass climaxes and immaculate wind solos to the strings’ soaring redemption theme at the end. Under the total command of Richard Farnes they realised his vision of scale and momentum in such a way as to prove him a great Wagner conductor.

As Farnes took his bow with the whole performing team of over one hundred I detected a tear in his eye. No wonder. Here was a man who had just completed, with The Ring, one of, if not the, most monumental tasks in the performing arts, a project he had seen through from the start and just brought to a conclusion with a sonic power unimaginable for those who were not there.

John Leeman | 16/06/2014

These annual treks to Leeds Town Hall on muggy June evenings have become a bit of a tradition. Going to see Opera North’s Ring feels increasingly like attending a fan convention, though instead of wearing tight lycra and assorted helmets, attendees tend to sport sensible footwear, smart trousers and blue blazers. Would Wagner have approved of this performance of Götterdämmerung? His theatre at Bayreuth was designed so that the musicians would be hidden. The Leeds Grand Theatre pit is too small for a Wagnerian orchestra, so Opera North have upped sticks and moved a few hundred yards west to Leeds Town Hall, placing everyone in full view.

You could argue that this is an austerity-era Ring. It’s semi-staged, with Peter Mumford’s unfussy video projections filling in the gaps. The cast are elegantly but simply costumed, and the stage direction is minimal but effective. Even the orchestra’s set of Wagner tubas were obtained second hand.

Such an approach pays huge dividends – the singers never have to compete with excessive or unsuitable directorial demands, and you get to hear, and see, absolutely everything. I can rarely recall ever having heard orchestral playing as sumptuous as this – the augmented string section performing with warmth and security throughout a long evening, and a vast wind and brass section audibly, and visibly, having the time of their lives. Act 2’s steerhorns were terrifying, and it’s hard to imagine the offstage horn calls being done better than they were here.

Several cast members return, though not always in the same roles. Mati Turi’s bluff Siegfried isn’t the most alluring of singers, but he’s an engaging, commanding presence, unafraid to highlight Wagner’s occasional touches of humour, especially when he’s flirting with the Rhinemaidens in Act 3. Mats Almgren sang Fafner in 2013, and returns in fine form to sing Hagen – a glowering, intense presence, compelling even when he’s doing nothing at all. Eric Greene’s Gunther sounds the part but isn’t as charismatic. Jo Pohlheim’s sinister cameo as Alberich (pictured right, with Mats Almgren) is a chilling coup de théâtre. Fiona Kimm, Heather Shipp and Lee Bisset as the Three Norns are nicely choreographed in the opening scene, their twisting movements mirroring their rope spinning. Alwyn Mellor’s Brünnhilde sings with accuracy, control and power. She’s never better than in her long scene with Susan Bickley’s Waltraute.

Richard Farnes’s direction has been one of this cycle’s glories. Wagner’s music defies so many 19th-century operatic conventions, and Farnes understands the need to build the tension slowly and stealthily. Götterdämmerung’s better known orchestral interludes lacked nothing in power – the Act 1 Rhine Journey is thrilling here – but all was rightly held in reserve until the redemptive final minutes, which here carry an unbelievable emotional charge despite one theme’s disconcerting resemblance to West Side Story’s I have a love.

Wagner’s penchant for brassy exuberance isn’t the whole story; the greatest moments in the cycle are the quiet, intimate ones. You’re startled by the sight of a stage full to the brim with musicians making so little noise. There’s a magical moment in the middle of Act 1 when Hagen broods centre stage, the strings’ sound reduced by Farnes to a bleak, grey whisper. If all goes to plan, the complete Ring will be performed here over four evenings in 2016. Until then, this production visits Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham. Fight for a ticket.

John Leeman | 16/06/2014