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Our motto: "Critical thinking in the cheap seats." Unbiased, honest classical music and opera opinions, occasional obituaries and classical news reporting, since 2007. All written content © 2019 by Paul J. Pelkonen. For more about Superconductor, visit this link. For advertising rates, click this link. Follow us on Facebook.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Bring On The Bad Guy: Matti Salminen as Hagen

Footage of the great Finnish bass, Matti Salminen, as Hagen in Götterdämmerung at the Metropolitan Opera. Filmed as part of the complete Ring Cycle, and now on Youtube for your viewing pleasure. The scene here is "Hagen's Watch", which is the bad guy's monologue in Act I of the opera, and his voice is making the speakers on this computer distort.

And since there's no titles on this film, here's a quick English translation:

Here I sit, on watch
Guarding the house. Guarding the hall from the foe.
Gibich's son sails away on the wind. Away to his wooing he goes.
He sails with a brave hero, who will face the danger for him.
He brings his own bride back with him,
But for me, he brings the Ring!

You sons of freedom, lusty companions,
Sail you on your way.
Though you deem him lowly, you will both soon serve,
this Nibelung's son.

Enjoy.



Photo Credit: Matti Salminen as Hagen in 1988. 
Photo © 2009 Johan Elbers/ Metropolitan Opera.

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