One might imagine the hushed reverence typically afforded to Bayreuth - at least up until that time - but for this "Ring," the atmosphere was charged with a palpable tension. The audience, a mix of seasoned aficionados and curious newcomers, was starkly divided. On one side, we had the traditionalists, some of whom decried it as a "parody" of Wagner’s vision, lamenting a perceived disjunction between the music and the staging. One particularly disgruntled gentleman even quipped that the Rhine maidens in "Das Rheingold" appeared as "whores from the Moulin Rouge," finding the whole affair "ridiculous." Boos, a sound rarely heard with such vigour in these hallowed halls, echoed through the theatre.
Yet, on the other side, there were those who championed Chéreau’s bold interpretation. Some were deeply moved, finding it "exactly faithful" to Wagner’s true intentions, hailing it as a monumental event not witnessed since the days of Wieland Wagner himself. Others found artistic and even "socialist inspiration" in the staging, believing the interpretation was entirely justified. Amidst the jeers, cries of "bravo" rang out, a testament to the passionate defence of this groundbreaking work.
Chéreau, with characteristic resolve, later stated that any changes made for the subsequent year were born of his own artistic realisation during rehearsals, not from public outcry. He famously asserted that he didn't need the audience to shout to know if he'd made a mistake.
