Gotterdammerung 7-3-11 San Francisco Opera

The SFO's Ring cycle in 2011 concluded on a mostly spectacular note with the 7-3 performance of Gotterdammerung. I didn't care for the setting of the Norns' prelude scene, and the cable instead of the strings of fate was awkward, but the three women did have chemistry. Though I though Runnicles' conducting rushed the scene a bit.  Melissa Citro was perhaps the sexiest--dare I say sluttiest--Gutrune ever, she revealed a different side to the character instead of the typical frumpy Gutrune. Andrea Silvestrelli was impressive and menacing as the black-garbed Hagen, standing in the shadows, overseeing the action that he seeks to manipulate to his malevolent ends. The Prologue/First Act sets were mostly unremarkable. I did enjoy the 'TV screen' effect in the Hagen/Alberich scene to begin Act II and the use of the remote to 'draw the curtain', pretty clever.  The Gibichung chorus was done as a fascist army and with the setting, gave off a very 'Pink Floyd The Wall' vibe.  Easily the most dramatic moment of this entire Ring took in the scene in which Brunnhilde is brought to marry Gunther; it was very stark, yet cinematic--it felt like I was watching a movie at this point. Nina Stemme can act as well as sing. In Act III the Rhinemaidens were suitably sexy, one of them even sitting on Siegfried's lap ala a stripper. Ian Storey as Siegfried this time around did seem a little more nobler and less buffoonish.  The scene where Hagen stabs Siegfried in the back was done too fast and "Siegfried's Funeral March", which I consider the greatest piece of music ever written--it's simultaneously tragic and triumphant--also felt rushed by Runnicles. As the final scene approached, and Brunnhilde walked into the Rhine, I was a bit put off by the staging and the effects, but then the curtains of fire appeared and then they had a little girl carry out a young tree to be planted as a symbol of new life after the corrupt old order of the gods and Niebelung had passed away. It brought a tear to my eye as the last strains of the transcendent music descened upon the War Memorial Opera House. I give this Gotterdammerrung 4 rescued rings out of 5.