Wagner: Das Rheingold

Wagner: Das Rheingold

1980
2h 26m
7.1

7.1/10

5 votes • View on IMDb
Music
Overview

This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.

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Status: Released

Language: DE

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Production Information

Production Companies
Unitel Classics Deutsche Grammophon Bayreuther Festspiele
Production Countries
Germany
Spoken Languages
German

Keywords

opera opera live performance bayreuther festspiele

Quick Facts

Original Title Das Rheingold - Bayreuther Festspiele
Release Date August 12, 1980
Status Released
Language DE
IMDb ID tt0275631

Cast

Donald McIntyre
Donald McIntyre

Wotan

Martin Egel
Martin Egel

Donner

Siegfried Jerusalem
Siegfried Jerusalem

Froh

Heinz Zednik
Heinz Zednik

Loge

Matti Salminen
Matti Salminen

Fasolt

Fritz Hübner
Fritz Hübner

Fafner

Hermann Becht
Hermann Becht

Alberich

Helmut Pampuch
Helmut Pampuch

Mime

Hanna Schwarz
Hanna Schwarz

Fricka

Carmen Reppel
Carmen Reppel

Freia

Ortrun Wenkel
Ortrun Wenkel

Erda

Norma Sharp
Norma Sharp

Woglinde

Key Crew

Richard Wagner
Writer
Brian Large
Director
Patrice Chéreau
Director