stage, the gurgling water of the Rhine River turned into a melodious melody, leading the audience to the ancient mythical world. The light dance steps of the water nymphs and the delicate interweaving of orchestral music together paint a magnificent picture of the beginning of chaos and the recovery of all things. On the evening of August 28, the National Center for the Performing Arts’ production of Wagner’s opera Das Rheingold had its premiere. Since then, the National Center for the Performing Arts’ version of the Ring series has officially kicked off. This work, known as the "Epic of Musical Philosophy", opens an audio-visual feast for the audience that spans time and space with its unparalleled artistic charm.
An international lineup performed the magnificent work
With the precise guidance of conductor Lu Jia, the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra played Wagner's "Lullaby of the World" with majestic momentum. As the melodious and profound overture flows slowly, the stage seems to be given life. The waves of the Rhine River slowly unfold in the interlacing of light and shadow, leading the audience to travel to that ancient and mysterious mythical era. The water nymphs sing a hymn of nature and harmony with their light dancing postures in the sparkling waves, while the interweaving of wind and string music creates a world that is both original and full of power. When Alberich's evil power breaks this tranquility, a musical and philosophical drama about love, wealth and power officially begins.
In "Daiss Rheingold", every singer gives the characters vivid vitality with their extraordinary skills and profound emotional investment. Thomas Thomason, with his shocking bass, perfectly interpreted Alberich's greed and desperation, and every time he uttered a sound, it hit the heart. Egil Silins, with his calm and magnetic voice, showed the complex inner world of Wotan, the King of the Gods. Every note he played revealed the complex emotions of power and helplessness. On the stage, the cunning of the fire god Luo Ge, the majesty of the thunder god Dona, and the innocence of the youth goddess... Each character uses its unique personality charm and musical expression to jointly weave a magnificent mythological picture. The superb performances by Chinese opera singers such as Qin Kanru, Xu Xiaoying and Zhang Yajie, who played the three Rhine Fairies, and Guan Zhijing, who played the giant brother Fafner on stilts, also made this performance full of dramatic tension and emotional resonance.
Modern and simple stage style presents a visual feast
As an important work created by Wagner in his later period, "The Ring of the Nibelungs" is the pinnacle of his artistic career. This work is composed of four serial dramas, which fully embodies the composer's concept of "total art" and has an important influence on the development of Western opera. "Das Rheingold" is the opening work of "The Ring". Although it is the shortest in length, it lays the ideological, dramatic and musical foundation of the entire series. Through its profound musical logic and philosophical thinking, it arouses the audience's understanding of human nature and love. A profound reflection on power. With his outstanding musical talent, Wagner materialized abstract concepts such as characters, objects, and ideas into vivid musical motives, providing artists with huge space for imagination.
"My way of directing an opera is to blend all the elements together to form a unified and unique perspective, give the plot coherence and create a complete atmosphere." In a similar way to Wagner's idea of "total art", Stefa Novo Boda integrates director, choreographer, stage design, costume, lighting, and multimedia design, and considers the overall opera artistic creation in a global way. On the opening night, he used a simple and modern production style to present a stage visual feast to the audience. The water space on the stage symbolizes the origin of the world, and the slowly flowing sand of the golden hourglass symbolizes the endless flow of time. The quicksand design of Valhalla Castle not only shows the splendor of the divine world, but also foreshadows its eventual demise. In the Nibheim scene, the interweaving of flames, smoke and fog creates an oppressive and mysterious atmosphere, making the audience feel like they are in a world full of desire and fear.The Nibelungs were dressed in black armor, and the stage was filled with highly symbolic elements such as gold nuggets, hammers, and ladders... The large metal ring in the center of the stage represented the ring that trapped everyone. Alberich placed this ring As his own throne, he controls all Nibelungs. Finally, when the gods embarked on their journey to Valhalla, the brass pipes sounded, and the entire opera came to an end in splendor and magnificence.
With thunderous applause, the more than two hours of non-stop premiere of "Daiss Rheingold" came to a successful conclusion. On August 30, September 1 and 3, artists will continue to sing this magnificent epic.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
