Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 4 Siegfried

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 34 | November 3 - 16, 2018 Your opera experience doesn’t have to end here! When the performance is over, you can continue your exploration of Siegfried in conversation with your companions. Here are some topics to consider: • What did you find most striking about the opera? • Siegfried only ever acts out of anger and resentment. What vital emotions does he lack (aside from fear), and why? • Wagner’s style of composition is especially challenging for singers. What effect does the music have on the mood of the opera? • The Wanderer claims he believes in fate. Why, then, does he try to stop Siegfried from reaching Brünnhilde? • In your opinion, should Siegfried be considered a hero? • What lesson, if any, do you think audiences should take away from the story? To continue exploring Siegfried, Lyric dramaturg and program editor Roger Pines suggests the following performances: CD Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson, Hans Hotter, Gerhard Stolze, Gustav Neidlinger, Dame Joan Sutherland; Vienna Philharmonic, cond. Sir Georg Solti (Decca) René Kollo, Jeannine Altmeyer, Theo Adam, Siegmund Nimsgern, Norma Sharp; Staatskapelle Dresden, cond. Marek Janowski (Sony Classical) Simon O’Neill, Heidi Melton, Matthias Goerne, David Cangelosi, Valentina Farcas; Hong Kong Philharmonic, cond. Jaap van Zweden (Naxos) Stephen Gould, Linda Watson, Albert Dohmen, Gerhard Siegel, Andrew Shore, Robin Johannsen; Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, cond. Christian Thielemann (Opus Arte) DVD Manfred Jung, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Sir Donald McIntyre, Heinz Zednik, Hermann Becht, Norma Sharp; Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, cond. Pierre Boulez, dir. Patrice Chéreau (DG) Lance Ryan, Susan Bullock, Terje Stensvold, Jochen Schmeckenbecher, Kateryna Kasper; Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra, cond. Sebastian Weigle, dir. Vera Nemirova (Oehms Classics) During the interwar years, German heldentenor Max Lorenz (1901-1975) defined the role of Siegfried for audiences throughout Europe. Siegfried : After the Curtain Falls