From a darkened orchestra pit, and felt as much as heard, "the chord of E-flat Major, surging incessantly in broken chords," filled the air of the War Memorial Opera House recently as listeners old and new were guided into the world of composer Richard Wagner's massive "Ring" cycle. The beginning of "Das Rheingold" ("The Rhinegold"), preliminary evening to "Der Ring des Nibelungen" ("The Ring of the Nibelung"), is one of the most magical moments in opera.
Beguiled local audiences and international visitors embarked on the journey on three separate opening nights as the San Francisco Opera devoted its summer season to a freshly-tweaked revival of director Francesca Zambello's so-called "American Ring" from 2011. Improved technological advances allow the director and her artistic collaborators near-cinematic license in creating a swifter-moving tetralogy of music dramas spanning her vision of American epochs from the Gold Rush to the Industrial Age and a calamitous future, spoiled by greed and ecological ruin.
It is a lot of ground to cover, but Wagner provided some 15 hours of music and four days to tell the story, and the director's ever-evolving interpretation has proved again to be an amazingly effective template. There have been detractors who find her updating and trendy references controversial, but Zambello is sensitive to criticism, and the latest incarnation is notable for self-editing and an eagerness to add even more contemporary relevance.
Some of the more audacious time-specific visuals have been excised, but the evocative projections designed by S. Katy Tucker, based on her original designs with Jan Hartley, are a real improvement, and Michael Yeargan's minimalist sets are still outstanding in Mark McCullogh's vivid lighting design.
Catherine Zuber's fine costumes appear unchanged, but who would mess with the exciting theatrical impact of a bevy of parachuting aviatrixes? Their appearance at the top of Act II in "Die Walkure" ("The Valkyrie") perfectly displays Zambello's ability to delight or madden an audience.
Wagner's plot has never been timelier, and the director has seized on opportunities to reveal feminist subtleties and inject some #MeToo moments when she can. It works, mostly, and resonates in the shell-shocked landscape of America today. When Zambello's narrowing of the message veers towards the banal, results are frustratingly anti-climactic.
The only character who may be counted more or less blameless is Chief God Wotan's daughter, Brunnhilde. Her lover Siegfried comes close in purity of soul, but he is fatally stymied by his own ignorance. Wagner leaves it to the goddess with a heart to redeem the world. It appears he always knew women possess the ultimate power. If Zambello occasionally belabors the point, especially in the newly imagined cataclysm of "Gotterdammerung" ("Twilight of the Gods"), we must admit she is still believably in synch with the composer's cockeyed optimism.
Analysis and critical commentary of the "American Ring" will continue long after the curtain falls on the final performance of the third complete cycle, but the triumph of the current revival's musical realization is already undisputable. Standing ovations for the amazing cast and orchestra have been frequent and well-deserved. Former SFO Music Director Donald Runnicles has conducted the tireless orchestra with superb understanding and mastery.
Singing roles were uniformly cast from strength, and the vocalists also showed excellent acting skills. Seldom has the convoluted plot been so easy to follow. The supertitles by Francesca Zambello help, but the ensemble conveys the text with clear understanding, and always sings with thrilling accuracy.
American bass-baritone Greer Grimsley took rightful pride of place as an exceptionally nuanced Wotan. His rich and imposing tone never wavered, even in scenes filled with complex emotions.
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton sang Fricka in "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walkure," and Waltraute in "Gotterdammerung." Softening the usually harsh edges on Fricka (Mrs. Wotan), Barton gave sympathetic insight and gorgeous voice to a difficult character.
In the perfectly structured first act of "Die Walkure," Finnish soprano Karita Mattila was a radiant Sieglinde and American tenor Brandon Jovanovich portrayed a virile Siegmund. Their international star careers are assured, but they maintain their ties to SFO. As a duo, they offered a fine example of luxury casting from Company loyalty.
Bass Raymond Aceto is another SFO stalwart, and his unique voice was suitably menacing as Sieglinde's abusive husband Hunding in "Die Walkure." He also appeared as the giant Fafner in "Das Rheingold."
American tenor David Cangelosi reprised his performance from the SFO 2011 "Ring" as the avaricious Mime in "Siegfried" and "Das Rheingold." Mime has become a signature role for Cangelosi, distinguished by his remarkably subtle nastiness.
In the pivotal roles of Brunnhilde and Siegfried, Swedish soprano Irene Theorin triumphed as a late replacement for ailing German soprano Evelyn Herlitzius, and American tenor Daniel Brenna also made a big success of his SFO debut. Any worries about Theorin were dispelled the moment she rushed onstage in the second act of "Die Walkure." Her self-confidence and beautiful voice are remembered from her 2011 SFO debut in the title role of "Turandot," and she has portrayed Brunnhilde in many of the world's leading opera houses. Watching her grow from a rebellious and loving daughter to a brave champion, then betrayed lover, and finally a redemptive heroine, was awesome. Her Brunnhilde is one for the SFO memory book.
Daniel Brenna surpassed expectations, even with good advance credits, portraying a sometimes annoying but endearingly innocent Siegfried. His voice has the necessary strength, and he uses his boyish looks to advantage as the overgrown adolescent hero. With stamina to spare and a sweet tone, Brenna made good on his international reputation.
Already established as a world-class Wagnerian, German bass-baritone Falk Struckmann made his SFO debut and role debut as the tortured thief Alberich, the rat who steals the gold from the Rhinemaidens in the first place. Struckmann has sung other roles in the "Ring" before, including Wotan. His performance as Alberich reflects his lengthy experience, and he invested the character with a startling degree of gravitas.
There are no small roles in Wagner's "Ring," but individual mention of all the singers in the "American Ring" would go on at Wagnerian length. We applaud them all, but must single out mezzo-soprano Ronnita Miller's lustrous Erda and First Norn.
When the entire cast, Ian Robertson's SFO Chorus, the full orchestra and production team assembled for a final curtain call after "Twilight of the Gods," the audience filled the War Memorial with prolonged, heartfelt shouts of appreciation.
Last chance to catch the final performances of "Siegfried" (6/29) and "Gotterdammerung" (7/1).
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