From August 18th through August 24th, the Boro of the Brattles will be hosting what Tundi Productions bills as the only Ring Cycle in North America this summer. Imagine a post-industrial Glyndbourne as you dine with the stars during the long dinner intermissions; in this case, instead of green lawns and formal dress, one is surrounded by bikers, and salty Vermont characters. The handsome, 750-seat Latchis Theater hosts Wagner’s weirdos under the signs of the zodiac, with some great singers and a better-than-serviceable small orchestra. The scenery includes a papier maché well which does triple duty as it morphs into a pyre and a forge; neoclassic niches in the proscenium arch also figure in the mise en scène. Tickets: HERE
Of the company’s 2023 Walküre we wrote:
Set designer and builder Alan Schneider (he also voiced Siegmund) placed the orchestra of 7/3/3/2 strings plus winds and brass (including three French norns and one tuba) behind a mid-stage scrim. Music Director Hugh Keelen, whom we could see throughout at stage left, gave the downbeat for the prelude. At once we could relax with the knowledge that his scaled-back pit band could handle the essentials of the score with a nice sound in the room. Keelan smoothly underlined the interweaving of leitmotivs and drew shapely sounds including some juicy 19th-century portamenti. Solos from cellist Jacob Omsky and English hornist Jim Sharrock deserve notice. The singers never had to fight to be heard, though some of them sometimes acted like they did. As the four hours progressed, the singers never tired, though some raggedness in the orchestra did ensue. If the orchestral intimations of magic fire sounded wan, the nine Valkyries in surround sound pinned my decibel meter. … Set designer and builder Alan Schneider (he also voiced Siegmund) placed the orchestra of 7/3/3/2 strings plus winds and brass (including three French norns and one tuba) behind a mid-stage scrim. Music Director Hugh Keelen, whom we could see throughout at stage left, gave the downbeat for the prelude. At once we could relax with the knowledge that his scaled-back pit band could handle the essentials of the score with a nice sound in the room. Keelan smoothly underlined the interweaving of leitmotivs and drew shapely sounds including some juicy 19th-century portamenti. Solos from cellist Jacob Omsky and English hornist Jim Sharrock deserve notice. The singers never had to fight to be heard, though some of them sometimes acted like they did. As the four hours progressed, the singers never tired, though some raggedness in the orchestra did ensue. If the orchestral intimations of magic fire sounded wan, the nine Valkyries in surround sound pinned my decibel meter.
Expect some great singing. Tundi co-founder Hugh Keelan will lead the orchestra and casts including Alan Scheider as Siegmund, Charles Martin as Wotan, Jenna Rae as Brunhjilde, Sondra Kelly as Fricka, Roseanne Ackerly as Sieglinde, Kurt Eichelberger as Hunding, James Chamberlain as Siegfried, Chantelle Grant as Erde, Stanley Wilson as Mime, Briam Ember as Alberich, Justin Ramm-Damron as Fafner and Hagen, and Wendy Silvetser as Waltraute.
At the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro Vermont. Tickets: HERE
Monday, August 18, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Das Rheingold
Starting at 7pm, runs without interval, finishing around 9:30pm.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Die Walküre
Act 1: 4.00pm – 5.10pm
Intermission 5.10pm – 6.30pm
Act 2: 6.30pm – 8.05pm
Intermission 8.05pm – 8.30pm
Act 3: 8.30pm – 9.15pm
Friday, August 22, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Siegfried
Act 1: 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Intermission 5.30pm – 6.45pm
Act 2: 6.45pm – 8.05pm
Intermission 8.05pm – 8.30pm
Act 3: 8.30pm – 10.00pm
Sunday, August 24, 2025 at 1:00 pm
Götterdämmerung
Prologue & Act 1: 1.00pm – 3,00pm
Intermission 3.00pm – 3.45pm
Act 2: 3.45pm – 5.00pm
Intermission 5.00pm – 5.30pm
Act 3: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
