Rheingold 1911Denhof Opera Company
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Ernst Denhof's company had been remarkably successful in performing its first Ring cycle at Edinburgh in 1910. The following year the company began to tour, and gave Glasgow audiences their first cycle.
The following season, conductor Michael Balling would succeed Hans Richter as conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. He already worked regularly at Bayreuth, having conducted the 1909 Ring there.
Performance specifications include an orchestra of 82 performers, mainly members of the Scottish Orchestra, augmented by some members of the Covent Garden Orchestra. The leader was Frederic Siegl.
For Twilight of the Gods, the chorus of 60 were gentlemen of the Edinburgh Choral Union and Kirkhope's Choir (in Glasgow) and Leeds Choral Union (in Manchester). Both were supplemented by (silent) ladies from the International School of Opera, London.
Sources
Cast details are taken from a copy of the Prospectus in Dundee City Library, confirmed by a copy of the Glasgow programme in Mitchell Library and Manchester advertising poster in Manchester City Library.
Illustrations are from sketches in the Glasgow News April 12.
Performance Cast
- Woglinde a Rhinemaiden
- Wellgunde a Rhinemaiden
- Flosshilde a Rhinemaiden
- Alberich a Nibelung
- Wotan leader of the gods
- Fricka wife of Wotan and goddess of marriage
- Freia sister of Fricka and goddess of love and spring
- Fasolt a giant
- Fafner a giant
- Froh god of joy and youth
- Donner god of thunder
- Loge god of fire and cunning
- Mime a Nibelung, Alberich's brother
- Erda goddess of earth and wisdom