Well I have made the symbolic gesture of throwing the Ring back in the Rhine for the Rhinemaidens to play with. After much soul searching and scrutiny of bank accounts and credit card statements, I have decided that I just have to give up the idea of booking for the entire Ring next year. Even if I buy the cheapest amphitheatre seats it is going to cost in the region of £250 for the entire cycle and I have decided I am not going to do it. It is a wrench not to see the Mighty Bryn again, but I console myself with the thought that it will be on radio and TV and I have already seen him in this role and, no doubt, will do so again in the future.
As I have written before, the main reason for this decision, apart from finance, is the production. If I had loved it and thought it marvelous then I probably would have put myself in hock, but as I found it deeply irritating and disappointing, I can take consolation that I am not missing much. Only exception was the lighting of the ring of fire at the end of Die Walkure when Bryn (Wotan) seemed to have a flame coming out of the palm of his hand which he then used to send the fire hurtling round the stage. That was simply terrific.
In February next year there is the possibility of getting single seats for certain evenings. At the moment, for obvious reasons, they want you to purchase entire cycles, so I will try then and see if I can get one for Die Walkure, just to hear Wotan's Farewell again and to see the magic fiery ring.
