Wagner´s Ring part2

Anna Russell - The (First) Farewell Concert (1984)
To end a long, hilarious career, classical music comedienne Anna Russell revived some of her best and funniest routines and took them on the road. This special PBS production, taped in Baltimore at the beginning of that 1984 tour, is a treasure for music lovers who understand that the thing they love can be charmingly goofy.

The highlight of the disc, and the routine that most fans remember most fondly, is her discussion of the Ring cycle. She tells the convoluted story of Wagner's four-installment epic, with careful attention to its absurdities, and she sings all the roles in a voice ranging shakily but with determination through soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. She does the same in her parody of a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, and the advantage of a video recording becomes obvious when she changes funny hats while singing to show whether she is acting the heroine, villain, or chorus. -

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Anna
• Russell
• classical
• music
• comedienne
• Parodie

[Musicalandmore]

...then he nags her into a coma...

fantastic!!!

[aniamarchwinska]

brilliant !!!! Always makes me laugh

[Crawford1187]

"Dya remember Fafner?!"

[zingzangspillip1]

I don't know where she got that "coming out of Wotan's head" bit. Act 3, Scene 1 of Siegfried features Erda talking about giving birth to Brunnhilde.

[zingzangspillip1]

It's actually *nine* daughters. Brunnhilde + the 8 other ones.

[rgaleny]

Brilliant!!!

[FreddeeG]

............ she then procedes to bear him Eight Daughters! *Audience ROARS* I adore this woman!!!

[legionx2012]

everything i ever needed to know about the Ring Cycle, i learned from Anna Russell :D

i'm not making this up, you know! ;)

[MoeJillionaire]

Her impression of the Valkyries was dead on

[DMBKristen41]

"...and THAT'S the great beauty of grand opera. You can do ANYTHING...so long as you sing it."

[jfluter]

....warned him to be careful....she then borns him eight daughters...SHE should've been careful! LOL!!!!

[shokola]

Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! Hiaha, hiaha, hiahaa XD That was hilarious!