The Birth of Tragedy From the Spirit of Music: Hermann Grampp is overjoyed to find Stefan Herheim’s ‘Ring’ cycle at the Berlin Deutsche Oper back on track after its Covid-related interruptions

Alberich imitates the shining C major play of the trumpet with his prop instrument, standing on a grand piano, clearly signalling that he is determined to be the engine of the dramatic action leading to the robbery of the gold and the forging of the ring. This is how opera production from the spirit of music can work, if it is done properly. Early on in his career, Stefan Herheim was known to be one of the rare stage directors developing scenic interpretation from the orchestral score (not only from the piano reduction, let alone the mere text). This is but one of many examples of musico-dramatic precision in this new production of Das Rheingold at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.