Limelight — May 2017

110 LIMELIGHT MAY 2017 http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au

THE BEST CLASSICAL MUSIC ONLINE AND IN CINEMAS THIS MONTH

ODIGITAL & CINEMA GUIDE

Digital & Cinema

Wagner aficionados in Australia will recognise
StefanVinkefromhisperformanceasthe
titleroleinSiegfried–nottomention
Götterdämmerung–inOperaAustralia’sRing
Cyclelastyear.TheGermantenorwillbe
singingtheroleagainthismonthinaVienna
State Opera production that will be streamed
online. Vinke spoke toLimelightEditor Clive
Paget about the character of Siegfried
beforehisperformanceslastyear.
“InSiegfried,heisayoungman,
quiteaninnocentmanfinding
hisway,hispositioninlife,and
heisapersonwhoislearninga
lot,”Vinkesaid.“Idon’tthinkhe
isacruelperson.Maybedirectors
makeusbelievethatSiegfriedisjust
akillermachine,butIthinkthat’spretty
wrong.Ofcourse,hekillssomepeople,butI
don’t think we would judge this as ‘murder’.
Forexample,takeMime.Siegfriedjustwants
togetridofhim,it’snothisintentiontokill
him,butthestorytellsusthatMimehasto
die.I’vehadsomedirectorswhofounda
waytoshowthatkillingMimewaskindof
anaccident–maybeapunchthathada
stronger effect than it was intended.”

FORSTEFANVINKE,SIEGFRIEDISN’TAKILLERROLE

The German heldentenor, fresh from OA’sRingCycle,doesn’t think Wagner’s hero is a murderer

Theroleitselfisconsidered

incredibly demanding – and

long–andrequiresgreat

stamina. “I think it’s the longest

rolewehavefortenors,”Vinke

said. “I can’t decide if it’s harder

than Tristan, but for sure, they

are the longest roles that

exist. Siegfried in

Siegfriedis actually

easier for me. I

haveareallyvery

high voice, and

thehigheritgets,

theeasieritis,

and the better

the sound.”

“I really prefer the

higherroles–I’mabigfanofthe

highStrausstenorroles–and

Götterdämmerungis quite low compared to

Siegfried,” he said. “It has a high C, yes, it has

severalhighnotes,butthegeneraltessitura

islower.Ofcourseit’saquestionofstamina

as well, and the stamina thing becomes even

moreimportantifyouhavejustonedayof

rest betweenSiegfried andGötterdämmerung.”

AT PALACE CINEMASTHISMONTH...

AMidsummerNight’sDream

Venture into Shakespeare’s

poeticworldofelvesandfairies,

as envisioned by choreographer

George Balanchine. Entering the

Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire for

the first time, this magical piece,

danced to Mendelssohn’s music,

features sets and costumes by

fashion legend Christian Lacroix.

FaithfultotheBard’svocabulary

whilstaddingasubtletouchof

pantomime, Balanchine portrays a

complex love story in two acts.

May 5 – 10

Jewels

George Balanchine’s evocation

of the sparkle of gemstones is a

brilliantballetclassic.TheFrench

RomanticmusicofFauréprovides

theimpetusforthesubtlety

and lyricism ofEmeralds,while

thefireofRubiescomes from

Stravinsky and the jazz-age

energy of New York. Grandeur

andelegancecompletetheballet

with the splendour of Imperial

Russia and the peerless music of

Tchaikovsky inDiamonds.

May 19 – 24

The Thieving Magpie

Two hundred years after its

debutatLaScalain1817,

Rossini’s graceful masterpiece

ontheexcessesofpower

returns. Director Gabriele

Salvatores will relate the

storyoftheservantNinetta

(debuting soprano Rosa Feola),

who’s wrongly accused of theft.

Rossini expert Riccardo Chailly

willconductaterrificcast,the

cream of the new generation of

Rossinianbel canto.

May 26 – 31

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Fortunately for Vinke, the Vienna schedule

isalittlekinder–he’llhavetwodaysoff

between the performances.Angus McPherson

TheViennaStateOpera’sSiegfriedwill

be live-streamed on May 29 at 2:30pm

on staatsoperlive.com

Stefan Vinke in OA’sSiegfried

Photo © Jeff Busby

Of course he

kills some people,

but I don’t think

we should judge this

as ‘murder’