13895 Wagner News 174 - Wagner Society of England

at his bedside. Judging from the previous gestation of Wagner’s masterpieces we can
assume that what Wagner needed was another muse to compose his last intended opera.
But what the long-suffering Minna had endured, more or less with resignation, was
unbearable to Cosima and it prompted her outburst with tragic consequences.
I saw Harvey’s Inquest of Love in 1993 and I felt that there were some elements of
spirituality in his music which remotely reminded me by its mood of Scriabin and I quite
enjoyed it despite David Pountney’s inept production. This time I was less affected by the
music which apparently owes a lot to electronic treatment, while the vocal parts seemed
to me not much more than intoned speech. The libretto, which was well presented by
surtitles, seemed to me rather pedestrian. One misses Wagner’s superb poetry which
sometimes comes through even in translations on surtitles. Nevertheless, the opera was
an interesting experience and I would advise every Wagnerite not to miss it if another
opportunity presents itself. The audience showed in sufficient measure its appreciation,
enhanced no doubt by the presence of the composer.
WAGNERJOBS
At www.wagnersociety.org you will find the Wagner News Forward Planning list of the
events we intend to cover in the next half dozen issues of the magazine. You will see
which reports still require volunteers to provide the words or the pictures. For example
we need a reviewer for the Opus Arte DVD of Lohengrin from the 2011 Bayreuth Festival.
We also need someone who can use music-writing software to provide the graphic
examples in pieces such as the “Essential Wagner” item on pages 46 and 47 of this issue.
Whether it is to join the team reporting the Presteigne weekend for the January
2013 issue of the magazine, to photograph the “Great Wagner Choruses” event for the
January 2014 Wagner News or to try your hand at any of the other dozen or so jobs which
are on offer, we would be delighted to hear from you. The Forward Planning list is
updated on the Wagner Society website as our future programme of events unfolds.
WAGNER AT THE PROMS
August is a relatively Wagner-rich month at the Proms with five concert performances.
Siegfried Idyll will be played by an 18 musician ensemble as it was at Tribschen on
Christmas morning in 1870 instead of the full orchestra versions which we usually hear.
3rd August Prom 27 Siegfried Idyll BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles 18 mins
5th August Prom 31 Meistersinger Overture Nat. Youth Orchestra of Scotland
Donald Runnicles 12 mins
7th August Prom 33 Tristan und Isolde BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Prelude to Act I Juanjo Mena 9 mins
26th August Prom 57 Parsifal Prelude to Act III Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester
and Good Friday Music Danielle Gatti 20 mins
30th August Prom 63 Lohengrin Prelude to Act I Berlin Phil /Simon Rattle 7 mins
– 14 –