Parsifal in Sydney

I was reading Wagner's letters to Mathilda Wesendonk (original version, online for free) on the way to Sydney to see Wagner's opera Parsifal and came across a letter (July 1859) telling Mathilda about Wolfram's book Parsifal. 'There are so many gaps in the story,' writes Wagner, 'if you wrote an opera you'd have to explain too much. It won't be me who writes it! Let someone else do it and Liszt can write the music!” 

He also recommends Mathilde read a book on Buddhism that he had recently discovered. At the time Wagner was immersed in Tristan and Isolde, but his letters show the beginnings of Parsifal even at this early stage.
 
I thought about Wagner's letter as I listened to bass Kwangchul Youn sing the role of Gurnemanz, the character who does most of the 'explaining' in this over five hour opera. Youl sang his very long part part with firmness and vocal ease setting the stage for a wonderful cast of characters of carry on the story. The wonderful reviews this performance is receiving are well deserved (five and a half stars out of five). 
 

Purple carpet in the Sydney Opera House

Dinner on the purple steps.

Parsifal is seldom performed in Australia so it was no surprise to find that Wagner fans had flown in from all over the country to hear this concert performance. I overheard guests remarking on the large number of people from Melbourne in the audience and I bumped into a friend from New Zealand who booked tickets to two of the three performances. His mate was going to all three. Well, it's Parsifal, so why wouldn't you if you could? Particularly with the singers Opera Australia lined up for the performance which include star German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, American mezzo soprano Michelle DeYoung and Australian baritone Warwick Fyfe. Not many singers can sing these demanding roles but this cast was, without exception, excellent, even faced with the very ordinary concert hall acoustics.

The sooner Sydney gets an acoustically wonderful opera house the better but how could an opera house anywhere else compete with these views?

View from the Sydney Opera House

Warwick Fyfe, an Alberich to remember

Warwick Fyfe as Falstaff

Warwick Fyfe is an Australian baritone who stepped in at the last moment and sang the part of Alberich at the 2012 Melbourne Ring Cycle operas.

He stole the show with his wonderful acting while singing this demanding part.

Last November a funding campaign was started called 'Send Alberich to Niebelheim' to raise funds so Warwick could go to auditions in Europe. One of the 'prizes' was an Alberich T shirt. I just got mine so now I am guarding the treasure in suitable attire.

In the meantime the campaign has been oversubscribed (he really 'wowed' the Melbourne audience) and he has done his first audition trip to the UK (has some nibbles we hear) and is off to Europe in April.

Go Warwick!

Extended stay in the music room

View from the bed

A one night stay in the music room was what I planned when I arrived in Sydney last Thursday, but I hadn't reckoned with the winter flu bug that is doing the rounds in Sydney. One night turned into five and I was sick enough not to get bored with my unvarying view.

Tonight Warwick Fyfe is singing Wagner songs in Sydney. Warwick stole the show at the Melbourne Ring Cycle last year when he .jumped in at almost the last minute and sang a very memorable Alberich. My reminder alarm just beeped for the show but unfortunately I wont be there. I am out of the music room, but not fit enough for trains and buses.

Wagner at Christmas

On 11 November the NSW Wagner Society is having a Christmas party at the Mosman Art Gallery and their poster features a sketch of Lisa Harper-Brown that I did at a Wagner Society early in the year.  Come along if you are interested in hearing songs sung by two wonderful singers.