Reportedly,
Wagner was not at all satisfied with the initial 1876 staging of his Ring cycle, but he died before he could implement
any of the mysterious changes he promised.
As a result, the questions of what would Wagner do and what is feasible
have bedeviled opera companies ever since.
Charged with developing something bold, Lepage did just that.
His
radical concept centers on what will be referred to as “the Machine.” A series of interlocked, swiveling planks,
sort of but not really resembling a double helix, the Machine will serve as the
minimalist set for all four constituent productions of the Ring cycle. When it works,
it facilitates some truly epic grandeur.
Unfortunately, it is decidedly buggy.
Frankly
it is quite cool and surprising the Met is so enthusiastically behind Dream, because it documents some embarrassing
moments for the storied company.
Complications with the machine put a damper on more than one opening
night, which is awkward for the professionals bluffing their way through
on-stage, but makes for dramatic documentary cinema.
Arguably,
Lepage’s Ring cycle production might
be thought of as the Met’s Apocalypse Now,
with Wagner’s Dream corresponding
to Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s
Apocalypse. Like screenwriter John
Milius sent to retrieve Francis Ford Coppola from the jungle only to be
convinced “this would be the first film to win the Nobel Prize,” every cast-member
and tech-hand approaching Lepage or Met General Manager Peter Gelb with
logistical concerns winds up doubling down on the Machine. Again, just like Coppola’s film, the result
is a sometimes flawed, but towering work of genius.
Dream is one of the
few behind-the-scenes documentaries completely warranting the big screen
treatment. A sense of scale is important
here. Yet, it does not ignore the human
element, following the challenges faced by the featured performers and sampling
the reactions of loyal patrons. Having
helmed two previous docs about the Met, including the profile of Maestro James
Levine relatively recently broadcast on American Masters, Froemke clearly had the trust and confidence of the opera
company. By now, many probably assume
she is on staff there.
