One Set to Rule Them All, And In the Darkness Bind Them: Gotterdammerung at the Metropolitan Opera

On the last day of the 2012-21013 Metropolitan Opera season, we saw the final performance of Gotterdammerung. Elizabeth – From the start of the prologue of Götterdämmerung, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.  Three Norns (whatever those are) are spinning the ropes of Fate, actual ropes, while giving the background of the ring—Wotan,… [Read More]

Money for Nothung: Siegfried at the Metropolitan Opera

We attended the Met season premiere of Siegfried this weekend.  Perhaps Wagner has a unifying effect on us. Elizabeth – The Met’s season premiere of Siegfried appeared to go off without a hitch on The Machine’s part.  This installation of The Ring had a good deal of levity and some physical humor that I greatly enjoyed. … [Read More]

Wagner and The Machine Infernal: Das Rheingold at the Metropolitan Opera

We saw the season premiere of Das Rheingold at the Met this weekend.  I had never seen it and neither of us had seen the Met’s Robert Lepage production.  While there was much fine singing the series of onstage technical snafus made for an interesting matinee.  Elizabeth – This was the first time attending any… [Read More]

Dirty Codpieces, Sequins and Sneezing: The Tempest at the Metropolitan Opera

We saw The Tempest at the Met last week and it left me with many questions.  Perhaps someone can answer at least a few of them. I know it was a contemporary opera, written in the last decade, but it left me not only with questions but also a general feeling of unease like I… [Read More]