Sing Faster The Stagehands Ring Cycle DVD (NR) +Movie Reviews

Hilarious even if you don't know Wagner

Bruce Hodges | New York, NY | 06/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Watching this 1999 documentary over the weekend, I hadn't laughed so hard in months. Filmed during the San Francisco Opera's 1995 production of Wagner's Ring Cycle, "Sing Faster" offers a rare glimpse into the complexities, banalities, and realities of making an operatic extravaganza. The narration includes running commentary by the stagehands, who passionately summarize the plots, comment on the action and crack jokes about the length of the piece.

Meanwhile, as the show goes on upstairs, downstairs the technical crew are playing poker, or reading, or are engaged in any number of non-operatic pursuits while waiting for their cues. Marvelous camera-work often shows the production in full swing, but from the point of view of those backstage and engaged in tense problem-solving, such as figuring out how much fog to use, or how to choreograph a fight with a dragon for maximum impact.

But the offhand comments running through the hour-long piece are probably the most enjoyable. This is Wagner from the point of view of those who make the magic happen every night, but who remain virtually invisible while the show is going on. As hundreds of carpenters, electricians and others sweat to make each scene come to life, they offer terse, laconic analyses of the plot, plus an occasional bit of physical comedy.

The film ends with a romp through all four operas, filmed at hyper-speed, cleverly summing up the singing, conducting and visual effects in roughly two minutes. If anything, as the credits were rolling, I felt it was over too soon."

Wagner From The Nibelung's Point Of View

Joseph Kimsey | Pac NW | 02/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like the Nibelungs in Wagner's drama, the stagehands at the San Fran opera are mercilessly whipped by an obnoxious troll (in this case, it's some dumpy loudmouth with glasses). Despite the lack of respect that they receive, the stagehands are absolutely essential in bringing these masterpieces to the stage, and this ultra-cool film is a visual document of them in action.

The film has endearing footage of the stagehand's own interpretations of the drama, as well as behind the scenes looks at the performers. Watching the dragon from behind the curtain, as well as Brunnhilde doing some Spanish dancing to Wagnerian music are particularly cool and funny.

If you're into Wagner, or interested in the world of theater, then this film is an absolute delight!"

Runs Rings Around Other Documentaries

Linda Yoder | Morton, IL United States | 06/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This gem is not just for opera nuts or Wagner lovers. In fact, even if you don't have special fondness for the Ring Cycle, you'll be enchanted by how it's told by the stage crew. This is not pure tech theater, either. It's a distillation of a monument in the making, complete with brilliantly photographed footage artfully placed over opera passages, including an extraordinary scene inside the dragon as it is being slain. Don't miss this one."

A Must for Wagnerites - as funny as Anna Russell

Jack M. Firestone | Miami, FL United States | 06/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a histerical look at the 1995 San Francisco Ring production from the Stagehands point of view. Some of the funniest discourse on the Ring I have ever heard. You also see the commitment and hard work of these unsung IATSE heros.The audio contains some great singing, but almost no look at the stage other than through the wings. (...)"

It Aint Over Till The Fat Lady (Brunhilde) Sings! A Great Do

Linda Yoder | 04/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sing Faster: The StageHands'Ring Cycle (1999): Starring The Production Staff, Singers, Chorus And Orchestra Of The San Francisco Opera, Ken Spike Kirkland as Principal Stagehand, Ann Panagulias, Sandra Walker and Mary Mills as Rhinemaidens, Written, Produced And Directed By Jon Else

Filmed in the summer of 1990 at the San Francisco Opera, I remember seeing this documentary on KCET/PBS channel 28. I was only 10-13. This documentary suffered low ratings because it was released at the time of the more successful Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War". But then, about 10 years later in 1999, director/producer Jon Else re-released it as a DVD. This is a behind-the-scenes look at the staging of Richard Wagner's greatest masterpiece based on the ancient Norse saga The Ring of the Nibelung, a series of four lengthy operas- Das Rhingold Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung, in a magnificent San Francisco Opera production, and one which I wished I could have been there to see.

The documentary is narrated by the Union production crew of Local 16, a cast of carpenters, grips, electricians, prop people, stage managers and assistant directors. The chief stagehand Ken "Spike" Kirkland (who had previously worked as a grip with the rap group Run DMC) summarizes the plot/story of the opera while wearing a B-52's shirt, lounging on a card table and discussing it with the other stagehands. For people who are not singers, teachers or even music majors, they certainly GET THE ESSENCE OF THE RING OPERAS! Its a fantasy soap opera-opera about man's lust for power, greed, corruption, a huge tragedy of the death of the gods and the new age of love and mankind. This is the documentary that hooked me into opera! It provides the viewers with an exciting, refreshing look at the making of an opera. There is a lot of movement and physical action as the production crew move heavy sets up and down the stage and organize the special effects- dry ice/fog, fire, thunder and lightning. While the singers rehearse, and when they are on their break, they play cards, take naps, and watch basketball on television. During the entire documentary, all we hear is the music and singing from Wagner's Ring, as the cast laboriously rehearse weeks before opening night. Scenes include the ever famous Ride of the Valkyries, Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla, The Rhimaiden's Lament, The Slaying of Fafner the Dragon by Siegfried and Brunhilde's Immolation Scene which triggers the Twilight of the Gods- Valhalla bursts into flames. The innards of the human-powered mechanic dragon is just one of the highlights. There are numerous funny moments such as the funny conversations about the Ring by the crew, the dramatic soprano singing Brunhilde (who was she?) enjoys herself backstage, socializing with the crew, making jokes and humming along to Wagner's music. My favorite scene, however, is the ending, in which after the long and arduous process of producing this 17 hour long opera cycle, it's finally opening night and an impatient crowd run into the San Francisco Opera house to get to their seats. They are as excited about the Ring as they are the Super Bowl! Finally, we observe the whole production unfold in a sixty-second time lapse, which for me, is totally unfair. The entire documentary is only 1 Hour long and quite brief. It would have been terrific to see a longer lapse, even if they cut from scene to scene and show the "Highlights" of the Opera Cycle. But overall, it's a wonderful documentary, even if it feels rushed, and I wish they had sung slower and prolonged the documentary to at least 2 hours.

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