Like never before, today we all shouted in unison and enthusiasm for the MET production of Siegfried and the singing of Jay Hunter Morris. The smart critics may carp at aspects of scenery, high-note achievements, emotion-portrayed, and dress. But the simple audience of folk gathered in a suburban shopping center in Coquitlam, BC on a sunny fall day, enjoyed every moment of this opera.
The first live Siegfried I saw was that horrible production in Los Angeles with cut-outs by some avant garde German designer. It was inhuman. I have two DVD sets of the Ring. Soul-less attempts at modernity by European directors. Again tough to take. And not to be enjoyed as visceral theater.
So today was a great surprise and reward for getting up early and into the movie house by nine. Jay Hunter Morris stole the show, we all agreed. I have always considered Siegfried to be a dull and stupid lad. By Morris gives us an impatient, eager, impulsive, impetuous youth who falls in love like a puppy. And all the while he is singing in a voice that dominates one’s senses.
Sadly not as young as he was when some of his photos were taken, nevertheless he makes you believe in youth again and long to be back there, so full of life and ready to win and love.
I suspect he overplays the Texas hick a bit in the interval features. But we forgive him, for he comes across honest both in person and on the stage. He is a perfect Siegfried, who afterall was but a country hick himself.
I will certainly buy this DVD as soon as it is available. The only bad part is that they are not repeating it in our local movie house.
Hi Jack,
I was searching on internet and found your comments about last night the MET live in HD – Siegfried…. I only can say, you are so right. I have seen that in Germany with my friends and was so impressed. It was such a great singing of Jay Hunter Morris and I hope to see more of him.
Greetings from Andrea
I saw this producton yesterday in the Tushinsky movie theatre in Amsterdam and from Europe i quite agree. I’ll bet he will be performing in Bayreuth in a couple of years. It was phenominal.
Great to finally hear that opera fans are taking note of the talented Jay Hunter Morris. To be clear, these pictures are quite recent, so perhaps it was the HD closeups and makeup that led you otherwise. Also, he is indeed a country boy from Paris, Texas who grew up singing in the local Baptist Church with his father as Music Minister and mother on the piano! Can’t take the country out of this boy!
I’m totaly agree with you. I saw this opera yesterday in the LIVE in HD transmission in France and it was fantastic.
I hope to see him again in others productions.
Saw Siegfried in HD yesterday in Arklow in Ireland. What a talent Jay is-And no complaints abut his youthfulness or otherwise- it was simply a great and enjoyable production.
Gisteren in Tilburg de Siegfied gezien. Buitengewoon indrukwekkend!
Groot zanger en toneelpersoonlijkheid.
I agree with everything said. I was truly “electrified,” and wondered if Hunter MOrris might be “channeling” Lauritz Melchior–whom I never heard except in recordings. HE was so exciting and believable and energized the murky production beyond belief. IT’s the only time I have EVER heard the line, “Das ist kein mann” not get a laugh. He actually seemed so terrified by his first view of a human (and a woman) other than Mime, that he jumped back and downstage–and no one even snickered! He obviously works out and moves like a believable adolescent 17-year old, even if he isn’t, and while his Texas drawl seemed a bit augmented, he really struck one as a un-citified, country bumpkin just alive with life, eagerness, excitement–which he then conveyed to all of us. And oh, those dazzling, snapping baby blue eyes!
Elisabeth C.
Los Angeles
We travel 2 hours to the nearest theater with HD performances since we moved from the NY metropolitan area. This was a wonderful event. What a great treasure we have here in the US – the Met, Jay Hunter Morris, Deborah Voigt; Renee Fleming; and the incomparable direction of James Levine for many years. Hopefully, he witnessed yesterday with us.
Yes, it was an amazing show. Jay Hunter Morris proved that North America can have a great opera singers as well.
YES!!!!!! Completely agree! (and check your local PBS for any repeat broadcasts)
I agree. I’m relatively new to Wagner. I had some music appreciation classes in college some 40 plus years ago and have told myself many times in the intervening years that I didn’t like Wagner. I think now I was just too young back then. This is my first exposure to the Ring, so each performance is brand new both in hearing the music and following the libretto. Of the three so far; Siegfried touched me most. I listened to the streaming last Thursday; and went to the HD broadcast Saturday. Morris was excellent. I’d say the entire Met company is very, very lucky to have him be available, and I hope they know it.
I saw it at the Stratford Picture House, here in London. Siegfried is my least favourite of the 4 Ring Cycle operas, but this was a terrific production. Morris was very good.
“It’s the only time I have EVER heard the line, “Das ist kein mann” not get a laugh.”
Well, in MY theater, we laughed, but it certainly was not Mr. Morris’s fault… That line ALWAYS comes out as so stupidly naïve….
“Jay Hunter Morris proved that North America can have a great opera singers as well.”
Well, North America has had a myriad of GREAT opera singers for a long time ! And definitely some of the best opera schools and training centers for young lyric artists, of the world (Indiana, Juilliard, etc…).
I thought Jay Hunter Morris was great – a convincing Siegfried at last – the first I’ve ever really liked. He is a good actor and I was immersed. The forest scene was truly beautiful and that is so hard to bring off, but Jay did it. Siegfried must mature during the opera until he is capable of telling Brunnhilde that she hasn’t really awakened yet – and to convince her to melt into his arms. He was totally right for the part.
The performance was electrifying. I hope we get to see much more of Jay Hunter Morris in HD. How exciting to see a hero who looks, acts, and sounds like one.
My husband and I enjoyed every moment in Federal Way, Washington. Jay’s Siegfried was superb and today is Wednesday and we are still talking about it! Am so looking forward to Gotterdammerung.
Hubby and I saw Siegfried here in Scottsdale, Arizona and loved it, especially Mr. Morris’ performance. We had seen the opera two other times but this was by far the best. Loved his comments offstage as well, especially when he was so exhausted and handed the Ring to the photographer in his dressing room and said, “Here, you take it, I’m going to take a nap” or something like that. So glad he will be back for the finale, Gotterdammerung. He wasn’t scheduled until recently.
I also have always found Siegried the least enjoyable of the four operas but Jay Hunter Morris looked and sang the part wonderfully. I had seen him in the San Francisco Ring in June earlier this year and he was good but so much better these few months later! His energy and youthful style were very effective and he sang music beautifully, revelling in the melodies. I also thought the ‘machinery’was used to its best effect so far in The Ring. I loved the forest scenes, the wildlife, the leaves blowing across the forest floor, the trees tops moving in the breeze – it was very effective, and as someone else commented, it helped get past the long draggy bits when we were being told the whole story again. However, the dragon was nothing like one??
Sydney, Australia
My wife and I saw the HD version of Siegfried Dec 3 in Melbourne Australia.
Jay Hunter Morris was just sensational – The audience clapped and cheered as if some magic feedback circuit existed to the Met in New York. —- Perhaps this is something for the future?? Anyway we are already booking for Gotterdammerung in 2012
[...] second most read blog posting this year was a surprise to me. It is the piece MET Siegfried and Jay Hunter Morris. Since I posted it in early November, it has been read by nearly 2,250 opera lovers. The [...]
We just saw a delayed HD broadcast of Siegfried here in Santa Fe (there was a blackout on the original date). Jay Hunter Morris is the best Siegfried I’ve ever seen; his singing was wonderful, and his acting superb. Not much mention has been made of how handsome and charismatic he is on screen, though someone did talk about his electric blue eyes – what a charmer!
Agree with all the above comments about JH Morris. I have heard many recordings of the Ring and saw a wonderful SF Opera production in 1985 (debut of James Morris as Wotan, first ever!) and I have always HATED the character and the 3rd opera in the cycle. JH Morris managed to illuminate the character of Siegfried in a way that made him under understandable and sympathetic. And his lyrical, beautiful singing…well, I loved every moment of this production. I thought Siegfried’s death scene was marvelously acted, and so touching I began to tear up. It was so wonderful that his role was captured in HD for posterity!
[...] So to the accolades. As last season when Siegfried was saved by a southerner, Jay Hunter Morris, today a second southerner came through as the hero, of both the story and of the opera. Bryan [...]