Wagner Society events held in 2000

Celebration of the Wagner Society NSW’s 20th Anniversary

20 February, Goethe Institut	1pm: Recital of eight songs, all written in 1840, by Andrew Young, tenor, and Paul Virag, accompanist: – three songs from Robert Schumann’s song cycle Myrthen (Opus 25), No. 1 “Widmung”, No. 7 “Die Lotosblume”, and No. 24 “Du bist wie eine Blume”; – the two versions of “the two grenadiers” by Schumann and Wagner, both composed in 1840; – three songs from Nuits d’Été by Berlioz, Opus 7, No. 1 “Villanelle”, No. 3 “Sur les Lagunes”, and No. 4 “Absence”; – “Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge” from Das Rheingold.
19 March, ABC’s Eugene Goosens Hall, Ultimo	3pm: Special event – Concert of music by Richard and his son Siegfried Wagner performed by the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and singers from the Vocal Studies and Opera Unit from the Conservatorium, conducted by Maestro Carlo Felice Cillario Richard Wagner: Lohengrin Act III, Scenes 1, 2 and 3 for orchestra, soprano, tenor and chorus Siegfried Idyll Siegfried Wagner: Der Bärenhäuter – Overture to Act I Teufelstanz
16 April, Goethe Institut	*1pm: Video – Parsifal* (Syberberg)**
21 May, Women’s Club	Richard Wagner Birthday Luncheon Guest speaker: Tim Calnin, Artistic Administrator, SSO, who spoke about the process of casting for the series of SSO’s concert performances of the Ring under Chief Conductor Edo de Waart Flyer
18 June, Goethe Institut	*1pm: Talk by Paul Curran, Director, Midsummer Night’s Dream, OA, on Wagner in Russia and his own career in opera*
8 July, Art Gallery of NSW	*10am – 4pm: Götterdämmerung* Seminar jointly with Art Gallery Society** Speakers: – Paul Curran (on staging music dramas from a director’s perspective), – Tim Calnin & Dr Alison Gyger (on the text) – Dr Matthew Holt (on parallel music and art movements).
23 July, Goethe Institut	1pm: – AGM – Video – Solti conducts Chicago Symphony Orchestra: *Wagner Overtures and Preludes & Berlioz Romeo et Juliette* orchestral music**
5 & 8 September, Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House	*5pm: Götterdämmerung, SSO performances*
17 September, Goethe Institut	1pm: Have your say! Discussion of SSO performance of Götterdämmerung with a panel including Bill Gillespie, Head of the Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, WA & members Peter Nicholson and Dr Terence Watson. Seminar on the performance and on the implications of the views of Göttfried Wagner, great grandson of Richard Wagner, after his visit to Australia. To broaden the discussion to the significance of Wagner today, extracts from videos were shown: two films by Petrus Van der Let – Hitler’s Religion and The Wagner Dynasty – and Wagner, from the ‘Great Composers’ series.
15 October, Goethe Institut	1pm: Wagner Society 20th Anniversary function – to celebrate 20 years since Wagner lovers met in Bayreuth on 26 October 1980 and agreed to start a Wagner Society in Australia Guest of honour: Horst Hoffmann, Australia’s renowned Heldentenor and Society Life Member. He was joined in recital by soprano Adele Johnston and accompanist Fiona McCabe. Report
19 November, Goethe Institut	*1pm: Video – Tristan und Isolde* (Bayreuth, Barenboim conducting, Ponelle staging, Kollo, Meier, Schwarz, Salinen & Becht)**
10 December, Goethe Institut	2pm: – Christmas party – *Walking with Wagner, Barry Walters’ presentation on visiting Wagner’s residences and video of Wagner’s favourite walk around Triebschen*