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Deep Dive: Wagner's Dream (2012)

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Wagner's Dream
Wagner's Dream is a documentary directed by Susan Froemke that focuses on the staging of Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen, at the Metropolitan Opera. The film captures the production's development starting in 2010, including the significant challenges faced during the creation of a complex set designed by Carl Fillion. The set, weighing 90,000 pounds, required unexpected reinforcement of the stage's left wing, highlighting the logistical difficulties encountered by the production team. The documentary covers various mishaps, such as the set's failure during the premiere of Das Rheingold and Deborah Voigt's fall during Die Walküre. It also addresses the abrupt changes in the production team, including the music director stepping down and tenor Jay Hunter Morris taking on the title role of Siegfried just three days before its premiere. The film presents these events without placing blame on key figures like Robert Lepage and Peter Gelb, instead portraying them as central figures in the ambitious endeavor.

Why Watch

  • •See the dramatic mishaps at the premiere of Das Rheingold.
  • •Meet Deborah Voigt as she navigates a challenging set.
  • •Follow the unexpected changes in the production team.

Did You Know

•The set for the production weighed 90,000 pounds, not the expected 50,000.
•Deborah Voigt fell and slid down the set during her entrance at Die Walküre.
•Jay Hunter Morris stepped into the role of Siegfried just three days before the premiere.

Perfect For

Opera enthusiastsTheater production fansDocumentary lovers