(Photo: Lucerne Festival, Patrick Hürlimann)

Jan Vogler was appointed as artistic director of The Dresdner Musikfestspiele in 2009, since when, according to the company’s website, it “has expanded its global reach and has broken new ground offering a wide range of programmatic concepts.” Its current project endeavors to open a “new chapter in Wagner interpretation history with its ‘The Wagner Cycle project,'” the aim of which is to present all four operas that make up “The Ring” in historically informed concert versions that will allow audiences in cities across Europe to experience the sound as it may have been heard in 1876.

The project has brought together 19th century musical practice and academic research under the direction of Vogel and Kent Nagano to create performances that will use historical instruments and playing styles along with the vocal and declamatory style of the period to “reveal unknown or long-forgotten facets of the music.”

In 2023, the project began with highly acclaimed performances of “Das Rheingold,” which this summer, it has followed up with performances of Die Walküre” in Prague, Amsterdam, Cologne, Hamburg, Dresden and finally in Lucerne, a city where Wagner lived for a number of years, and for which it promised to bring “a totally new Wagner sound experience” to the city.

And it did not disappoint! Wagner’s “Die Walküre” sounded fresh and exciting. It sparkled like a newly polished diamond, and at the end of the performance, the audience showed its approval with a thoroughly deserved, loud and prolonged standing ovation. It was a fabulous presentation, and very different from the sound one is used to.

Nagano’s Masterful Direction

The Dresden Festival Orchestra was augmented by the inclusion of the Concerto Köln, which was chosen partially because it had no experience in playing Wagner’s music and was thus unhindered by contemporary approaches. Under the baton of Nagano, they brought Wagner’s reconstructed score thrillingly to life, producing a lighter, brighter reading in which its textural qualities were revealed with a wonderful clarity. Individual sections and instruments were allowed a prominence that highlighted elements of the melody that are often subsumed into the overall sound and promoted subtleties to the coloring that can so easily be missed. It possessed a pleasing, transparent quality that exposed the fascinating detail of the score that drew in the listener. Nor did it lose anything in the process; Nagano’s masterful control ensured that the dramatic and emotional contours of the piece were expertly fashioned. Opting for brisk tempi, he ensured there was an energetic frisson that underpinned the music, which he heightened and reigned in, using neatly timed silences, dynamic contrasts, and sensitive accenting to build and release tensions. It was also a reading that had an impact upon the singing.

The greater transparency and lighter aspects of the orchestral sound meant that the singers were under less pressure when projecting their voices, which not only allowed the voices to be clearly heard but also enabled the listener to distinguish the actual words, which is not always the case. The definition of the voices was also clearer, reflecting the subtle changes in the relationship between the orchestra and the singers. Often, voices of individual Valkyries can be lost within the group, but in this case each Valkyrie was clearly identifiable.

A Quality Cast Delivers A Memorable Performance

All the soloists produced excellent performances, and this did not just apply to their singing, for although this was a concert performance, they did not use scores and acted out most of the scenes. It was really well-presented; each of the singers engaged physically with their role, which added to tensions between the characters and to the visual aspect of the drama. As well as the front of the stage, the rear seating area above the back of the stage was also used, as was the auditorium from where the Valkyries made their entrances, singing as they moved along the side aisles. There were no costumes, but Wotan did wear an eyepatch, and the Valkyries wore a variety of black and sequined outfits that clearly distinguished them as separate entities but still part of a single group. Although there were no props, Wotan did carry a spear, and it did not look at all out of place!

Soprano Sarah Wegener has a strong, attractive stage presence, which she used effectively to produce an emotionally layered and convincing portrait of Sieglinde, which she expertly complemented with a fabulous singing performance that captured her fast-changing passions. Equally adept at expressing unrestrained feelings as well as nuance and subtlety, her Sieglinde was a masterclass in characterization. The development of her relationship with Siegmund was perfectly crafted so that the duet, “Schläfst du, Gast?,” became a natural climax, free of artifice, and the extent to which she managed to convey Sieglinde’s feelings of self-loathing in Act three was impressive. Everything, of course, was founded on her vocal qualities and technique, which allowed her to mould and move the voice with alacrity; when Siegmund pulled the sword from the ash tree, her cry of joy not only cut through the orchestral sound but was perfectly in tune.

Tenor Maximilian Schmitt has a very attractive voice, which successfully promoted his character, Siegmund, as a romantic hero. His singing possesses a pleasing lyrical quality that is able to captivate the audience; he can spin out long, beautiful lines, and when he opens up the voice, it is firm and strong. But it was also an expressively powerful and detailed reading. When he arrives at Hunding’s house, for example, he is exhausted, and Schmitt wove this into his presentation; it was possible to hear the stress and tiredness in his voice. During his Act two confrontation with Brünnhilde, his moulding of the vocal line to capture his anxious state was impressive.

Bass Patrick Zielke is a giant of a man and made for a physically intimidating Hunding, which he played up to the full to dominate the stage. He was aggressive and vicious. He was sneering and threatening. He was the very essence of evil itself. There was no doubt about his intentions. His singing was equally nasty; he spat out his words coated in a veneer of hatred and ill-will.

In what was a detailed and nuanced performance, bass-baritone Simon Bailey brought depth and insight to his portrayal of Wotan. He knew exactly what he was doing, even to the point of adding a little humor along the way. He was also the only character allowed any props. Each interaction was used to broaden or reinforce the god’s character: on his first entrance, he greeted his favorite daughter, Brünnhilde, with a big hug; when Fricka arrived in a rage, he was cocky and complacent, smiling knowingly at the audience before eventually passing out in the face of her onslaught. His relationship with Brünnhilde was exceptionally well depicted, especially in Act three, where, initially furious, he raged at her and refused to give ground; his voice was stern and energetic, and the vocal line was heavily coated with angry inflections. However, he then began to allow a world-weariness to creep into his voice, which added a different emotional quality that transformed easily into the underlying love he feels for his daughter. The vocal control and sensitivity Bailey displayed in this scene were exceptional. His ability to maintain Wotan’s sense of authority while at the same time exposing his very ‘human’ weaknesses was impressive.

As Brünnhilde, soprano Åsa Jäger made a strong impression with her hojotohos sailing out over the orchestra as she entered the stage. Her voice sounded relaxed and secure. Her intonation and articulation were crystal clear. She is a soprano with a well-supported, resonant voice, able to sustain notes over a long period, which expand effortlessly to fill the hall. In dramatically exciting scenes, her voice can explode with emotional force, yet she is equally capable of crafting soft, delicate lines. In other words, she is a singer with a voice suited to the role. If there is a negative criticism to be made of Jäger’s performance, it is that she did not actively engage with her character on a physical level; rather, she was content to stand still and let the voice do all the work.

Mezzo-soprano Claude Eichenberger’s Fricka was not someone you would want to get on the wrong side off; it was no wonder Wotan fainted when she confronted him. She was strong-minded, tough and determined. Eichenberger’s singing was suitably strident and focused. She pushed forward, attaching emotional strength to every word, and swung into the upper register with gusto, taking leaps in her stride. Certainly, there was no ambiguity in her anger.

The Valkyries were essayed by mezzo-sopranos Ulrike Malotta, Ida Aldrian, Marie-Luise Dreßen and Eva Vogel as Waltraute, Siegrune, Roßweiße and Grimgerde, respectively, while sopranos Natalie Karl, Chelsea Zurflüh and Ania Vegry played Helmwige, Gerhilde and Ortlinde, with contralto Jasmin Etminan cast in the role of Schwertleite. All produced a distinct, strongly defined character that highlighted their individuality and sang with spirit and energy.

Simply put, this was an excellent concert. It was, as advertised, “a totally new Wagner sound experience.” In 2025, the Dresdner Musikfestsiele will present “Siegfried,” and then in 2026, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the cycle’s Bayreuth premiere, it will present “Götterdämmerung.” One can only hope that someone, somewhere, is planning a recording of this reconstructed cycle.