The Wagner Society of New York and the New York Philharmonic Young New Yorkers are co-hosting a post-performance reception on Saturday, January 18 after the Ring Without Words concert.
Join fellow members in this exciting performance of Lorin Maazel's Ring without Words: On the heels of her success at the Bayreuth Festival, Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the New York Philharmonic this wordless distillation of The Ring Cycle at David Geffen Hall. Prime group tickets at a 15% discount and no fees - seating is limited.
In his decades-long career as a musician, Doug Adams has remained in-demand as a performer, a composer/arranger, an author, and a lecturer. He was selected by Howard Shore to observe and document his work on The Lord of the Rings films – a score performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, eventually exceeding 13 hours, and consistently cited as one of the best film scores ever written.
This is the Society’s annual “deep dive” into a Wagner-related work currently in the repertory of the Metropolitan Opera. This year we will visit a work that many regard as Richard Strauss’s masterpiece: Die Frau ohne Schatten. Speakers include Prof. Bryan Gilliam of Duke University, Prof. Larry Wolff of New York University, and our very popular Singers’ Roundtable featuring members of the cast of the Met production. Critic and lecturer David Shengold will return as our Moderator.
Intermission Meet-Up: Saturday, 7 December Matinée of Die Frau ohne Schatten - the performance before our Seminar - come say Hi to fellow WSNY members from near and far. It's a great chance to mingle with fellow opera enthusiasts, share your thoughts on the performance so far, and connect with like-minded people who appreciate great music and conversation.
A special preview screening of the complete Act II of Parsifal, from a new film adaptation currently six years in the making. This multimedia adaptation blends performance, painting, and dazzling visuals to bring Wagner’s last work to life for the big screen.
Former Head of Music Staff at the Metropolitan Opera, Craig Rutenberg explains what a prompter does, what preparation prompters undergo in a particular production, and how a good prompter can rescue performers from disaster. He will also discuss the various responsibilities of the music staff at the Met — from rehearsal pianist to diction coach to assistant conductor to prompter.
This annual event provides the unique opportunity for our members to learn some of the events and developments in this year’s Bayreuth Festival. We will offer an illustrated discussion of the new production of Tristan und Isolde starring Andreas Schager and Camilla Nylund; receive a report from a Society member on his first visit to the Festival; hear from the three young artists whom the Society sponsored as part of the Festival’s Scholarship Program; and welcome a special guest, American bass Jordan Shanahan, who sang the role of Klingsor in the Jay Scheib “augmented reality” production of Parsifal.
A six-part course , “Wagner: Questions of Influence and Originality,” poses the question: To what degree is any artist original? What role do the achievements of other artists, earlier and contemporary, play in influencing a composer as “original” as Richard Wagner? Wagner occupies a special position in the history of music, both for his body of work and for his influence. Wagner’s own development was not linear; the past, present, and future of opera are present in all his works.
Join Ring attendees for a final lunch before the end of the Festival. We've got a large table reserved at Oskar: Das Wirtshaus am Markt in the heart of the old city and a reliable provider of traditional Bavarian fare.
Enjoy a private tour of the piano factory, established in Bayreuth in 1852. Furnishing instruments to both Wagner and Liszt, and manufacturer of the Gralsglockenklavier for Parsifal, we’ll learn about the history and traditions of this sixth-generation, family-owned company. The tour will allow opportunity for questions throughout the visit.
An event to celebrate the life of Stephen Gould and the publication of his book Performing Wagner: A Singer's Perspective on the Major Roles. Co-author Peter Phillips will relate how the book took form and lead a discussion on some of the many interesting insights that Gould offers on Wagner's heroic characters.
