Mastodon Katharina Wagner resizes her great-grandfather’s ring – a late April Fools or a stroke of genius? - The Wagnerian

Katharina Wagner resizes her great-grandfather’s ring – a late April Fools or a stroke of genius?

Written By The Wagnerian on Wednesday 11 May 2011 | 7:40:00 am

Since taking over  over as stage-director and co-director of the Bayreuth Festival, Katherina Wagner’s decisions, rightly or wrongly,  have not been without controversy, however, her latest decision to direct  a “portable” and “reduced” Ring may be the most bold and controversial yet. This is especially so given Richard Wagner’s well documented hatred for performances of edited “highlights” of his operas – his much hated “bleeding-chunks”. (Not that that ever stopped him doing just that when he was going out on the road to raise money or awareness mind you).

According to Boulevard Baden (original source here and as cited in translation first at Intermezzo) Katharina will direct a radically reduced and “edited” 7 hour version of the Ring to premier at Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires,  September 27 2012. This 7 hour version will be presented in one single day: starting at noon and concluding at midnight. Following it’s premier it is planned to then take this version of the ring on tour

The Teatro Colon Ring is being re- imagined and “arranged” by Cord Garben. Garban, maybe  known to you as a successful pianist  with an extensive discography, as  conductor or as  one of Deutsche Grammophon's record producers -   becoming their director of vocal productions in 1986, where he worked closely with Karajan and Anne-Sophie Mutter among others
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According to Garban, reducing the Ring has proven easier than one would assume as Wagner “wrote in modules” and thus  while reducing the ring “The musical line remains completely intact,” Keeping  this “musical continuity”” maybe why he has made the seemingly odd decision to move Rheingold and insert it into The Walkure. 

 So, why reduce the Ring at all? Katherina says, “I am always open to innovation”. Given some of the reactions to her productions of late this would certainly seem true, but this may not be the primary reason for this new “mini” Ring cycle. Of equal importance, such a version will allow the staging of affordable, (however altered)  “staged” performances of the Ring” As Katharina points out, it is simply not affordable for many opera houses to stage full Ring Cycles. A “reduced Ring” may well alter this.

There is of course some truth to this, however, given an imaginative opera producer, staged versions of Wagner’s works (including the Ring)  can be produced with minimal staging costs. Indeed, as Opera North recently pointed out when asked why their new Ring Cycle was a concert version only, it is not the actual staging that is the issue but finding provincial theatres of the size that can accommodate both the staging and the massive orchestra required by Wagner. Whether the new Wagner/Garban reduced Ring also re-scores the orchestration to reduce it’s size is not made clear – and I would suspect unlikely.

Who than would this Ring appeal to? Perhaps, those who simply have never had the “courage” to approach a full 14/15 hour ring cycle over 4 days? Possibly, but if that is whom this version is aimed at why stage it over 12 hours on the same day? Surely such a person is as unlikely to stay 12 hours with an opera as they would be to stay for 4 days with long breaks – and not receive the full “Ring Experience” to boot? Wagner of course, felt that he was not just writing “operas” but wanted his work to “change” his audience and with this in mind was uncompromising in his approach.Whether a "reduced" ring would accommodate this is still open to debate.

But, it is far to early to even begin to criticize  this production – despite I think my obvious doubts. It may yet prove to be an unqualified success. Indeed, if I am wrong about a 12 hour performance proving intimidating to Ring "newcomers"  and it introduces a new audience to the Ring then all the better. It should certainly prove to be an unique experience. What is certain, is I shall be keeping more than a close eye on developments