'There's Something Bottomless About It' - Robert Spano on Conducting Wagner's Ring

Atlanta Journa-Constitution via Andante ^ | September 15, 2005 | Pierre Ruhe

[sitetest]

I can't imagine the effort it takes to do this.

[Sans-Culotte]

The Mahler 2nd is no walk in the park, either.

[sitetest]

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[js1138]

Wagner stole the ring idea from Tolkien.;-)

[sitetest]

* snicker *

[SamAdams76]

The Mahler symphonies are often overlooked by classical music fans. They are definitely worth the effort to appreciate as they grow on you over time.

On the other hand, it would take a lifetime to fully appreciate the music of Wagner.

[SauronOfMordor]

Wagner stole the ring idea from Tolkien.;-)

Stupid ring. Bad idea

[Chairman Fred]

I have performed the Mahler Second (here in San Diego, with the chorus) and am about to do so again, in November.

It's good but overrated.

Give me the B-minor Mass anytime.

As for Wagner and Der Ring des Niebelungen, let me recommend Anna Russell.

[js1138]

For those who don't have the time or money, the entire Ring cycle is explained on this album.

[Exit148]

With Wagnerian operas --- You don't have to watch. Just close your eyes and listen and feel.

[Chairman Fred]

I couldn't agree more.

[Panzerlied]

Yes, but after the Ring, it's no thousand mile journey either.

[Chairman Fred]

Wet me expand on my comment: if you weawwy want to know Wagner, just watch "What's Opera, Doc?" stawwing Bugs Bunny and Ewmew Fudd.

"Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbitt, Kill the Wabbit, uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!"

[Sans-Culotte]

Well, we cannot all have the same tastes. Mahler is definitely an acquired one, and there are some of his symphonies even I am not really into. However, the 2nd "Resurrection" Symphony cannot be rated highly enough IMO. Though an early work, I always regard it as Mahler's "Beethoven's Ninth".

I agree with all that The Ring is a mighty work. I'm just not always in the mood for a 4 night opera festival. They are certainly something, though.

I only mentioned the Mahler 2nd because the article said that was on the conductor's agenda, and then said little about it. There are so many high points in Mahler's 2nd, that it is very easy for a conductor (and orchestra and solosists and chorus) to fail to hit them all just right. I've been to two live performances of it, and both were tremendously exciting.

[cloud8]

P*S televised the Ring over a week several years ago. Four operas later I was drained. It was in my dreams. Conducting it, and above all making the whole thing come together, must take a very special person...like me. I'd love to do it :)

[Socratic]

If bottomless means the same as never-emdimg, I certain;y agree.

[Born Conservative]

Mahler's 1st is my absolute favorite...

[Billthedrill]

I stood in line for the Seattle Opera a couple of years ago and the whole dang crowd started singing "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, the Wabbit must die..." Hope none of the cast heard us...

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I'll contribute a dissenting view. I have grown to like Mahler and now really enjoy many of the symphonies. I have never liked Wagner with the exception of the Ride of the Valkyries theme used in Apocalypse now.

Saw a special on Discovery/Times network the other day (I know, I know). It was on occultism in the 3rd Reich. It was actually quite good and made many points not all of them can I summarize here.

One point it made however, was that Hitler was heavily influenced by Wagner - it might not be an overstatement to say that Nazism was the product of Wagner's aryan mysticism and Hitler's take on all of it. All the top Nazi's saw themselves as Aryan or Nordic knights that were going to find the grail or some such nonsense - all right out of Wagner. I'm sure intelligent people can differ but for me it just reinforced my already strong predisposition to not like Wagner.

[Borges]

Woody Allen once said that listening to Wagner made him want to invade Poland. Racial theories like those that Wagner held were a product of the time and he was simply the most gifted exponent of them. Though he wanted Jews to assimilate quite unlike the Nazis. There were petitions to expel Jews from Germany going around that he refused to sign. At the end of his life he personally picked a Jewish conductor named Hermann Levi to conduct the premiere of Parsifal.