Daisy Evans' dystopian, immersive Dutchman for Fulham Opera may be tough medicine – but, with such glorious singing on offer, it's an unmissable chance to step into Wagner's soundworld.
Ben Woodward, in his superb musical act of reduction with Fulham Opera at St John's Church, Fulham, has brought us a Ring of eyewatering clarity, raw beauty and visceral power. Cancel everything, and go.
Fulham Opera's intense, beautiful, powerful opening to their Ring cycle at the lovely St John's Church in Fulham was a privilege to watch, and promises well for all remaining nights.
There are times a tarnhelm would come in useful. Limited to more conventional means of transport, this reviewer found that it took a ridiculous hour and a half to drive from Soho to Fulham, as a result of which I’m afraid I missed the opening scene of Fulham Opera’s Götterdämmerung.
You have to sit in a small Fulham church, on a pretty uncomfortable chair, for at least four hours. And listen to a load of opera singers warbling about dwarves and gold and stuff. From certain perspectives, Fulham Opera’s production of Wagner’s Siegfried doesn’t sound like much fun at all.
For any opera company to mount a Wagner opera is a great undertaking. For a very small semi-professional opera company to mount the entire Ring cycle is a feat of extraordinary daring and perhaps madness. But that is exactly what Fulham Opera has decided to do.
Fulham Opera’s 2012 season is, once again, one dedicated to Puccini and Wagner. Last year, the company brought to stage Puccini’s Suor Angelica – the long-unpopular middle opera of his Il trittico – and the opening work of Wagner’s Ring cycle, Das Rheingold. This season, St. John’s Church, Fulham, the company’s traditional venue, is hosting the last opera of Puccini’s triple bill, Gianni Schicchi, and the second of Wagner’s epic cycle, Die Walküre – two works that pose very different challenges for this ambitious independent opera group.
