BWW Reviews: DIE WALKURE at Houston Grand Opera, Wunderbar

Incest, power trips and a rebel with a cause are a few of the things we see in Houston Grand Opera's production DIE WALKÜRE. I like to think of the opera world as an elaborate wine list. Delectable notes from a fine Merlot, Riesling or Chablis, and Houston Grand Opera's current season is packed full of operas and musicals that are sure to please any musical pallet. We are introduced to DIE WALKÜRE which is the second installment in DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (The Ring of the Nibelung) better known as The Ring Cycle. The other operas in the cycle include DAS RHEINGOLD, SIEGFRIED and GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG.

Richard Wagner was a very complex individual who challenged the establishment and made art his way. Wagner was a rebel who hated the word opera, calling his pieces "music dramas." Wagner revolutionized the opera community with Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art). Wagner wrote essays from 1849-1852 detailing the "total work of art" concept. Holistically Wagner believed that a piece needs to be visual, musical and dramatic. This philosophy is found in DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN. Being a man that broke rules and challenged the artistic community, Wagner held controversial anti-semitic views which he expressed in his essays and the rest of the prodigious written record that he left. Many Wagner scholars suggest that he wanted assimilation of the Jewish culture into German ideals, for German Jews to suppress their Jewishness. Although in this way Wagner endorsed conformist societal ideals, there is no doubt that he was a radical artist and a man before his time. I believe that a great work of art transcends race, creed, culture and time. Wagner's fans will travel to the ends of the earth to watch productions of his work. Patrick Summers cited that last season's DAS RHEINGOLD was attended by patrons from 41 U.S. states and 14 foreign countries. I believe that trend will continue for DIE WALKÜRE because I sat next to a gentleman from New York.

This particular rendition of DIE WALKÜRE was originally produced at the Palau des Artes in Valencia, Spain. La Fura dels Baus is a Barcelona-based Theatre Company who held the creative baton with this production. Carlus Padrissa directed, using the theatre company's edgy and nonconformist aesthetic. This presentation was visually appealing and brought in deus ex machina (machine of the gods). The horses were brilliantly constructed crane apparatuses that moved effortlessly across the stage, guided by skilled technicians. These technicians not only have to understand the mechanics of the apparatus, but they have to know the score. During the overture, I was in awe of the screens and the 3D projections. This is proof positive that artistic intent can be conveyed using modern technology. This new age artistic philosophy follows the out-of-the-box thinking Wager wrote about and used in his works and his environment. Even though I felt at moments that the use was too literal, like the ash tree ticker of Siegmund's name, they could have been used more during the scene with Wotan (Iain Paterson) and his daughter Brünnhilde (Christine Goerke). The costume design was very intricate with blended fabrics and textiles. I loved the reimagined headdresses and breastplates used on the Valkyries. From Sieglinde's (Kartia Mattila) dreadlocks to the alien-like collar worn by Fricka (Jamie Barton), these edgy ideas worked well on stage.

Wagner believed that a piece not only needed to sound great, but to have great drama as well. In Act I we are introduced to Sieglinde, the abducted maiden in distress played by Kartia Mattila. Her physical commitment to the role was sublime. She performed for 45 minutes walking on all fours in a crouched position like a primate. She sang the complicated rep masterfully from start to finish. Act I was filled with great vocal moments by Simon O'Neill (Siegmund) and Karita Mattila. The rich bass vocal presence of Hunding (Ain Anger) was nothing but perfect and befitting of his brutish and bellicose demeanor.

Act II starts with Wotan's (Iain Paterson) entrance, and then we are introduced to Brünnhilde, played by American dramatic soprano Christine Goerke. This moment was one of the highlights for me. Goerke approached this complicated role with vocal excellence. The nuanced moments from scene to scene were intricate in delivery and her inner dialogue was just as daunting as her magnificent voice. Fricka enters the stage and Brünnhilde looks at her with disdain. The strife in their relationship is evident. I am reminded of Michael Shurtleff's 12 guideposts for actors. This principle allows the actor to form a layered character. I was brought to Guidepost #6: finding the humor. Goerke and Barton masterfully executed their dialogue and physicality, forming a tumultuous back-and-forth. This added a layer of humor to the dark and angst-driven score.

Wagner was a master of leitmotifs, and excerpts from "Ride of the Valkyries" (Walkürenritt) were prevalent throughout this score. Non-opera enthusiasts often feel disconnected from classical music, but they encounter the music in film or television, and colloquialisms often used in these mediums are derived from this Cycle. In Act III, we were greeted by eight Valkyries for the pièce de résistance: Kelly Kaduce (Helmwige), Julie Makerov (Gerilde), Natalya Romaniw (Ortlinde), Catherine Martin (Waltraute), Eve Gigliotti (Siegrune), Renée Tatum (Grimgerde), Faith Sherman (Rossweisse) and Meredith Arwady (Schwertleite). Hearing these ladies sing together was an epic moment on the American stage. The blend and vocal precision was crystal clear and reminiscent of a perfectly mastered CD recording.

There's no denying that this opera showcased the female voices, but the men held their own. Iain Paterson's Bass-Baritone voice was the perfect button at the end of this opera. "Leb Wohl" was executed with passion, conflicted angst and love. Goerke maintained pristine vocal quality from her first entrance to the end of the opera. She was born to play this part. This is by far some of the best singing and acting I've seen in opera. Gesamtkunstwerk was achieved in Houston Grand Opera's second installment of The Ring Cycle. If you haven't purchased tickets I suggest you do so right now. Even though the opera is lengthy, it is well worth every second. For more information on DIE WALKÜRE and HGO please visit www. www.houstongrandopera.org

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