Wagner's Ring: What Has Happened?

When the Frankfurt Opera recently staged a new production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, the giants Fasolt and Fafner appeared as huge terra-cotta statues. Standing in front of them were expressionless singers who resembled union representatives in business suits. The noble hero Siegfried looked like a chubby schoolboy, while Brunnhilde rode around on Wotan's back. Gutrune played with a rubber doll, and the Norns wove a theater curtain. At the end, the audience heartily booed the director, sets, and costumes, and enthusiastically cheered the cast and conductor.