Steven Gallop / Рецензии

Finally liberated from the solitude of our lounge rooms and Netflix subscriptions, sitting in Melbourne’s Regent Theatre shoulder-to-shoulder on Wednesday night felt like a forbidden treat. The palpable exuberance of being back on the town, though, was tempered by a profound appreciation of our delicately privileged position. As the first major opera performance in Melbourne after a protracted Covid shutdown of the live performing arts, Melbourne Opera’s Das Rheingold marks an important moment in the cultural life of the city – the beginning both of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle and of a new chapter in the living operatic history of Melbourne. Wagner’s complex works are rich in symbolism and metaphor (both musical and dramatic). The specific symbolism of Rheingold at this moment possesses a certain relevance, if not gravitas. Against the backdrop of a disease spread from animals to humans, and with fires raging in Western Australia, an ancient story about the pillaging of natural resources in pursuit of wealth and power is not without its modern-day parallels.

It’s a paradox of truly operatic proportions. How can a 152-year-old work that’s largely about the end of all days feel timely and ultimately uplifting?In Das Rheingold, the first of four operas in his epic Ring Cycle, Richard Wagner’s evocative score allows the observer to escape into a world of myth and magic, while the plot parallels many aspects of life as we currently know it. At the opening night of Melbourne Opera’s new production there was also a sense of community reunited. Togetherness long missed, by artist and audience alike. Wotan (Eddie Muliaumaseali’i) and Fricka (Sarah Sweeting). Wotan (Eddie Muliaumaseali’i) and Fricka (Sarah Sweeting).CREDIT:ROBIN HALLS At its most fundamental, the Ring Cycle is about an all-powerful ring, the creatures, gods and men who wish to possess it and the impending doom that will consume them all. Rheingold follows Alberich, a dwarf, who steals gold from the depths of the Rhine and fashions a ring from it, and the god Wotan’s pursuit of the ring. As the slimy Alberich, baritone Simon Meadows gives the standout performance of the night and his career. Consistent character and impeccable German text sung over a 90-piece orchestra is no mean feat! MO stalwart Eddie Muliaumaseali’i (Wotan) proved he has the booming voice and gravitas to portray the king of the gods. Of the all-Victorian ensemble, James Egglestone (Loge), Michael Lapina (Mime) and Sarah Sweeting (Fricka) are superb. As is often the trap in portraying otherworldly beings, some of the gods appeared stiff and one-dimensional, though Roxane Hislop’s Erda is extremely memorable, both for her rich, commanding voice and how her scene is mesmerisingly designed. The overall concept is director Suzanne Chaundy’s finest to date. The entire creative team is to be commended for this clever, slick and stunning realisation.