Wagner´s Ring part3

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

[rakewell2]

"oh by the way, she's his aunt" :-D

[TexasPhoneMan]

"...I'm NOT making this up, you know !..." Had the great fortune to see her live at The Music Hall in Houston, TX quite a few years ago but remember it well. She was a first-rate comedienne who is sorely missed by her fans.

[begs54]

How to write a Gilbert and Sullivan Opera, by Anna Russell is a MUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zingzangspillip1]

The aunt stuff is pretty funny, but on the whole, Anna takes quite a few liberties with the plot in this thing. I know it's supposed to be funny, and it is, but I wonder if many people have been turned off Wagner and the Ring Cycle by this piece.

[MichaelHansenFUN]

@Christina5Archer you are right.

[MichaelHansenFUN]

5:30 "YOU KNOW IM NOT MAKING THIS UP" after all this is “The Ring of the Nibelungs” (An Analysis) " AN ANALYSIS!!!

[Christina5Archer]

Anna Russell rules the Ring. She is wonderful. And true. She did NOT make anything up.

[DMBKristen41]

I'm such an Opera nerd :-) I can't stop laughing!  God rest her soul.

[jfluter]

have you seen the average brunhilder? lol!

[shokola]

"Do you know they could start this whole damn thing all over again?" LOL

I'm studying Wagner's Ring and have watched eight different productions of it so I've thoroughly memorized the plot, the words, and even the leitmotifs! This has just made it all so much better :D Thank you!

[kwgrid]

Superlative! LOL