{"id":32578,"date":"2024-11-17T13:30:31","date_gmt":"2024-11-17T02:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/soundslikesydney.com.au\/?p=32578"},"modified":"2024-11-17T13:30:31","modified_gmt":"2024-11-17T02:30:31","slug":"review-simone-young-conducts-die-walkure-sydney-symphony-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soundslikesydney.com.au\/?p=32578","title":{"rendered":"Concert Review: Simone Young Conducts Die Walk\u00fcre\/ Sydney Symphony Orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"

Concert Review: Simone Young Conducts Die Walk\u00fcre<\/em><\/p>\n

Sydney Symphony Orchestra<\/em><\/p>\n

Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House,\u00a0<\/i>Friday November 15, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n

The Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House was awash with relentless cascades of Wagnerian sound as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Chief Conductor Simone Young presented a stunning concert production of Die Walk\u00fcre, <\/em>the second of its four annual presentations of the operas of Wagner\u2019s Ring Cycle<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fresh from conducting the full cycle at Bayreuth, smashing the double firsts of being not only the first woman to conduct the cycle but also the first Australian, Young presented her handpicked cast in this epic which followed on from the triumph that was Das Rheingold<\/em> in a concert production exactly a year ago.<\/p>\n

The orchestra of some one hundred musicians led by Concertmaster Andrew Haveron included the obligatory Wagner tubas and four harps. Young\u2019s handpicked ensemble of singers welcomed back some of Sydney\u2019s favourite Antipodeans, amongst them, the golden-voiced heldentenor Stuart Skelton, magnetic as Siegmund, one of his signature roles. As well, the Valkyries who comprised Helena Dix, Madeleine Pierard, Natalie Aroyan, Deborah Humble, Margaret Plummer, Kristin Darragh and Liane Keegan. What a line-up of talent that was as they fearsomely sashayed onto stage one by one, with no small degree of chutzpah. This was no collective of sisters, but a parade of individuals, each with their unique style and power.<\/p>\n

It was a rare treat to hear such talent and consummate Wagnerian expertise coming together amongst the overseas-born main soloists. Vida Miknevi\u010di\u016bt\u0117 was outstanding as Sieglinde as were Tommi Hakala as Wotan, Peter Rose as Hunding, Alexandra Ionis as Fricka and Anja Kampe as Br\u00fcnnhilde, whom we will hear again in Siegfried<\/em> in 2025.<\/p>\n

For me, this concert production underscored two points. One was that the singers selected had the ability to convey the intensely dramatic narrative and dynamic interactions with little more than their voices and a few minimal gestures without relying on costumes, props and the freedom of moving around the stage. There were some effects from the Concert Hall\u2019s newly revamped lighting system, Skelton and Rose sang from the circle and there was use of a rather uncomfortable looking bench seat for the reposes of Sieglinde and Br\u00fcnnhilde. Skelton, Miknevi\u010di\u016bt\u0117 and the Valkyries performed score-free, liberating them to perform unencumbered. In the main, it was up to the singers to tell their story in concert style with little extraneous help.<\/p>\n

The other point is that listening to this opera as a concert, without those very elements of a staged production presents a terrific opportunity to simply focus on the music and to understand and appreciate Wagner\u2019s magnificence and complexity. Layering \u00a0this over a staged version, if one were fortunate enough to see one, creates a much more thrilling and enlightened experience.<\/p>\n

As Sydney doesn\u2019t have a venue capable of presenting a fully staged version of The Ring Cycle, <\/em>opera fans are left with being able to afford to travel interstate or overseas to see one or watch the limited offerings on a streaming platform. These excellent concert productions from the SSO under Young are very welcome and bring to us some of the best of Wagnerian performance.<\/p>\n

Can\u2019t wait for Siegfried<\/em>!<\/p>\n

Shamistha de Soysa for SoundsLikeSydney\u00a9<\/em><\/p>\n

Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 season.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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