The current theme celebrates Richard Wagner's birth 200 years ago. Over the course of the next several weeks, recordings of each of works will be presented, including recordings of live performances when available. Parsifal, Bayreuth 2012 Live Lohengrin, Bayreuth 2011...
“German poet, dramatist and novelist. One of the most important literary and cultural figures of his age, he was recognized during his lifetime for his accomplishments of almost universal breadth. However, it is his literary works that have most consistently...
This theme relates to operas based on the works of Friedrich von Schiller.
“From the womb of Night and Death was spawned a race that dwells in Nibelheim (Nebelheim), i.e. in gloomy subterranean clefts and caverns: Nibelungen are they called; with restless nimbleness they burrow through the bowels of the earth, like worms in a dead body; they smelt and smith hard metals.
The current theme is “The Business of Music”. The initial offering is Antonio Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole, a divertimento teatrale on the misadventures of an opera composer. This is followed by Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, which involves...
“From the womb of Night and Death was spawned a race that dwells in Nibelheim (Nebelheim), i.e. in gloomy subterranean clefts and caverns: Nibelungen are they called; with restless nimbleness they burrow through the bowels of the earth, like worms in a dead body; they smelt and smith hard metals.
The pure and noble Rhine-gold Alberich seized, divorced it from the waters’ depth, and wrought there from with cunning art a ring that lent him rulership of all his race, the Nibelungen: so he became their master, forced them to work for him alone, and amassed the priceless Nibelungen-Hoard, whose greatest treasure is the Tarnhelm, conferring power to take on any shape at will, a work that Alberich compelled his own brother Reigin (Mime = Eugel) to weld for him. Thus armoured, Alberich made for mastery of the world and all that it contains.”
Thus Richard Wagner began his The Nibelungen-Myth. As Sketch for a Drama. Our current theme explores the four works comprising Der Ring des Nibelungen through which Wagner sought to present “the interplay of eternal forces affecting the relation of human beings to God, to nature, and to each other in society.” Donald Jay Grout & Hermine Weigel Williams, A Short History of Opera (4th ed. 2003), p. 451. Here, we traverse the Ring with Wolfgang Sawallisch’s 1968 performances in Rome.