For Melbourne Opera, a company reliant almost entirely on private funding, to undertake Der Ring des Nibelungen is an ambitious task. Wagner and his work, though, are no strangers to emboldened ambition. It took around twenty-six years to write The Ring, now a pinnacle of achievement for opera companies around the world. While often performed over the course of a week, this production will see the following three operas mounted over the next few years, culminating in a performance of the entire cycle in 2023.

Rebbecca Rashleigh as Woglinde, Louise Keast as Wellgunde, Karen van Spall as Flosshilde, and Strange Fruit Performers Emily Ryan and Lily Paskas Goodfellow (Melbourne Opera)

Das Rheingold, first performed in Munich in 1869, famously opens with a low E flat from the double basses, arpeggiating and expanding slowly across the orchestra into a pulsating aural representation of the creation of the world. The Rhinemaidens – sung here with charming effervescence by Rebecca Rashleigh, Louise Keast, and Karen Van Spall – taunt the sleazy and desperate dwarf Alberich. The girls brag about the gold they protect, and how, if the gold is fashioned into a ring, its owner will enjoy unrivalled power. This, however, comes with a caveat: the owner must also renounce love. Reeling from his triple rejection, Alberich reasons that this is a fair trade-off, stealing the gold and setting in motion the chain of events for the whole Cycle.

Eddie Muliaumaseali'I as Wotan (Melbourne Opera)

The stasis of the Rhinemaidens in Suzanne Chaundy’s production, however, felt at odds with Wagner’s score, and performers on sway-poles, however impressive, ultimately proved an unnecessary distraction. Sarah Sweeting performed with warmth and clarity as Fricka (married to Wotan, Lord of the gods) in defence of her sister Freia (Lee Abrahmsen), pawned off in Wotan’s dodgy dealings with the Giants, who have not been paid for building his new castle. While musically well executed, there was little urgency in the moment Freia is taken hostage by the Giants, with the Rheingold set as ransom. Eddie Muliaumaseali’i’s Wotan (the very picture of an arrogant man whose troubles could have been spared if he had only, alas, listened to his wife) was supported by Darcy Carroll and Jason Wasley as Donner and Froh. With a lively tenor in a demanding role, James Egglestone’s Puck-like Loge drove much of the action with the air of an overly slick salesman. Similarly, Adrian Tamburini and Steven Gallop impressed as Giants Fasolt and Fafner.

It was, however, Simon Meadows’s spurned and power-hungry Alberich that proved the highlight of the evening. With a characterful and effortless baritone, Meadows commanded the role with ease. Of particular note was the underground scene between Alberich and his bullied brother Mime (Michael Lapiña), enslaved to forge a helmet for Alberich that will enable him to shapeshift or become hidden from view. As the comically gifted Lapiña demonstrated, being kicked in the crotch by an invisible man is a physical gag that never fails to delight an audience.

James Egglestone as Loge, Darcy Carroll as Donner, Jason Wasley as Froh, Eddie Muliaumaseali'i as Wotan, Sarah Sweeting as Fricka and Lee Abrahmsen as Freia (Melbourne Opera)

It wasn’t always clear why some characters were in brightly coloured suits, with others in more mythical garb; Chaundy’s reference in her director’s note to the ‘heady and hedonistic times of the sixties and seventies’ as the ‘past’ of this production might have benefited from further exploration. Furthermore, the emergence of Erda (Roxane Hislop) in flowing white and silver sequins evoked more a nativity angel than the Goddess of the Earth come to warn Wotan of impending disaster.

Supported by lighting from Rob Sowinski, the minimalist concentric circles of Andrew Bailey’s set design made clever use of a large mechanised platform to delineate the underworld of the Nibelungs from the upper world of the gods. The set might have afforded a little more acoustic consideration, however, given that the carrying capacity of the singers suffered from a few dead spots on stage. Under the baton of Anthony Negus, the enormous Melbourne Opera Orchestra was in fine form, with the Regent’s open pit enabling a full, lush sound in the dress circle. Excellent musical preparation by Raymond Lawrence was in evidence throughout. An increased focus on character nuance and spatial use would have elevated this production, but it will be exciting to see the development of Chaundy’s directorial vision throughout the cycle.

For now, the gods’ crossing of their rainbow bridge to Valhalla provided a beacon of light for Melbourne’s audiences and artistic community alike. Melbourne Opera is to be congratulated on their promising all-Australian opening to Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Das Rheingold is being performed at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne on 3, 5, and 7 February 2021, and at the Ulumbarra Theatre in Bendigo on 21 February 2021. The performance on February 7 will be livestreamed via Melbourne Digital Concert Hall. Performance attended: February 3.