(courtesy SFO)
By MCANA Critics
During June and July 2011, the San Francisco Opera presented three performances of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, starting June 14. The Music Critics Association of North America is pleased to offer comprehensive coverage of this milestone production, including articles expanding upon the work and its composer. This special edition of the MCANA’s Web Journal is the first in what the organization hopes will be an ongoing project to bring together the best critical thought by its members for readers throughout North America and beyond. Your support of this undertaking is encouraged. Thank you.
Donald Rosenberg, President
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Table of Contents:
Cosima Wagner Reconsidered, by John W. Barker
Band of Gypsies! – Bass-baritone Mark Delavan Tells How a Family that Travels Together Stays Togethe,r by James Bash
Sex and Branding: Wagner’s Other Leitmotifs, by Wes Blomster
A (Mildly) Feminist Look at Wagner’s Ring, by Susan Brodie
Wagner, Jazz and Pop: An Alliance of Limited Success, by Richard S. Ginell
Be Prepared: The Byword for Fire-Fighters, Boy Scouts – and Opera Singers, by Paul Hertelendy
In San Francisco, Strong Women Step to the Fore, by John W. Lambert
Rhine Gold Lurks in old Grooves, Even if No One Is Listening, by John W. Lambert
Tradition, Enemy of Truth: Wagnerianism and Francesca Zambello’s Ring, by Jens F. Laurson
All Wrung Out in San Francisco, by Robert Markow
Das Rheingold and the Hippies, by John Rockwell
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In addition to reviews contained in this Journal, MCANA members produced the following articles for various regional publications, links to which are provided here with the authors’ consent. All but one (marked) are freely accessible. Again we thank you for your interest in and support of our work.
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James Bash, Oregon Music News:
* Rheingold: http://oregonmusicnews.com/blog/2011/06/19/san-francisco-opera%E2%80%99s-production-of-rheingold-mines-america%E2%80%99s-past/
* Walküre: http://oregonmusicnews.com/blog/2011/06/25/stemme-and-company-create-palpable-walkure-for-san-francisco-opera/
* Siegfried: http://oregonmusicnews.com/blog/2011/06/27/san-francisco-opera-creates-gritty-gripping-siegfried/
* Götterdämmerung: http://oregonmusicnews.com/blog/2011/06/28/san-francisco-opera%E2%80%99s-gotterdammerung-triumphs-with-incredible-performance-by-stemme/
Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News: http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/scott-cantrell/20110624-opera-review-a- gripping-ring-in-san-francisco.ece (a for-pay column)
Paul Horsley, The Independent (Kansas City): http://www.kcindependent.com/live-from-san-francisco/
Arthur Kapitanis, Montreal Gazette:
story.html?id=2089c65c-30a1-4c49-a285-2730f75273ad&p=1
Nancy Malitz, NAJP Blog: http://www.najp.org/articles/2011/06/if-you-want-to-immerse.html
Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland Plain Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/2011/07/sfo-ring.html
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Sebastian Spreng, Miami Clásica: http://miamiclasica.com/2011/07/12/san-francisco-un-anillo-para-recordar/
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Finally, for more on this topic by MCANA members, see the following Classical Voice America blogs, containing – along with other materials – further musings on the Ring:
Susan Brodie: https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/blog/member.cfm?blogid=444&bloggerid=38
Jeff Dunn: https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/blog/member.cfm?blogid=421&bloggerid=41
Earl Love: https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/blog/member.cfm?blogid=448&bloggerid=67
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Rebecca Schmid: https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/blog/member.cfm?blogid=449&bloggerid=63
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Happy reading!
