The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 25

Monday, Aug. 15, 1988 The Philadelphia Inquirer 5-C In Bayreuth, staging a run-arid-roll 'Ring At West Germany's Wagner shrine, the provocative Harry Kupfer from the other side of the Berlin Wall has directed a frantic, high-tech production of the operatic tetralogy that keeps the singers hopping, climbing, lunging, leaping, creeping and crawling. 30th Hnniversory of Hock 'n Roll Show tonight has been cancelled. For refunds please return tickets to the box office or point of purchase. Valley Forge Mum FaSr blurred, however, and cumulative tensions were slighted in favor of exaggerated tempos and isolated effects.

Barenboim enjoyed the advantage of a superb orchestra in the covered pit, He also suffered the disadvantage of a somewhat lightweight cast dominated by novices. "At no price would I like to experience such performances of the Ring again. Oh, it was horrible, especially the histrionics and the costumes. Now that we have achieved an invisible orchestra, it may be time for an invisible stage." Thus wrote one Ring authority Richard Wagner to King Ludwig in 1881. Some things never change.

UM1 PLACE I A The Comer ol I9tfi A Chestnut 972-0638 1200, 2:30,5:00, 730. 10:00 $300 Til 12:30 EDIC 4 C0IC0H1IUI Routa 202 4 JcL I A 322 ERIC llll I QUEEI I By Martin Bernheimer Lot AnttUi rirrut BAYREUTH, West Germany This gemutltch little city, like the exiled warrior-maiden Brunnhilde, sleeps peacefully during most of the year. Then, for five chaotic weeks, Bayreuth awakens to become a stodglly glamorous mecca for dauntless amateur Wagnerians, for conspicuously consuming European society, for a curious collection of visible politi-cos, for scandal aficionados, voice groupies and music critics. Richard Wagner built his own festival shrine, with a little help from mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, in 1876. He knew that no ordinary opera house could or would stage his sprawling, massive, fantastic, forbidding, mythological tetralogy, Der Ring des Nibelungen, with any degree of musical or theatrical credibility.

Therefore, he took matters into his own competent, eager, patently unreasonable and wondrously self-serving hands. Now, more than a century and 10 different Ring cycles later, the world is still grappling with the immensity of this re-creative challenge. Singers who can withstand the 15-hour, four-day marathon or even selective portions of it with stamina, much less eloquence, are nearly as rare as dodo birds. Conductors who can sustain momentum, grand lines and architectural logic while leading the massive forces inexorably toward that final cathartic cadence are virtually extinct, too. Then there is the perpetual problem of the stage director.

Only one who hasn't learned the meaning of fear would dare confront Wagner's convoluted world of conniving men IAeeleille1ileaMM I III over greed, just when the ultimate tragedy should resolve in wondrous Wagnerian optimism, Kupfer resorted to a flabby gimmick. Brunnhilde's immolation turned into a Chernobyl-style conflagration upstage. Meanwhile, downstage, clusters of well-dressed socialites they looked much like members of the Bayreuth audience nonchalantly sipped champagne while watching the ultimate catastrophe on TV monitors. Eventually, a lonely little boy in a tuxedo broke away from the crowd, took a flashlight out of his pocket, found a lonely little girl in another cluster and ushered her away, presumably to a better world. Ah, symbolism.

The image wasn't particularly heart-rending. But there was more. One could not leave with the comforting, simplistic image of Hansel and Gretel going off in quest of paradise. A dangerous witch still loomed on the horizon or, to be more accurate, leaned against the proscenium. Alberich, unfortunately, had survived the disaster.

Presumably, the raucous tragedy could now begin all over again. The idea proved unsettling, for all the wrong reasons. To say that Kupfer's Innovations were uneven would be an understatement of Wagnerian proportions. Unabashed strokes of theatrical kitsch coexisted with telling insights and bracing elements of intentional alienation. With time, perhaps, he will be able to recognize his miscalculations, polish, refocus, make amends.

Until major adjustments are undertaken, his Ring must be regarded as a bizarre stylistic jumble, and, as such, a fascinating failure. Wagner's music, not incidentally, seemed of secondary importance in this production. Attempting the Ring for the first time, Daniel Barenboim conducted erratically. There were wonderful moments: the lyric poetry of the Die Walkure love scene, or the quirky scherzo impulses of Siegried. Dramatic impulses often were East Berlin, a major artistic force on the other side of the wall.

He is no stranger to Wagner, having dealt with 10 Wagner productions in such centers as Weimar, Dresden, Berlin, Copenhagen and Bayreuth itself before undertaking this, his first Ring cycle. It turned out to be a crucial trial by fire, mist, water, laser and neon. No one expected Kupfer to follow traditional paths. No one, on the other hand, was prepared for the bizarre anachronisms, the relentless exaggerations and contradictions that earned him a lusty chorus of boos after each of the four performances. Kupfer gave his audience a modern morality play with Brechtian overtones, a fancy light show, a disco parody, a high-tech extravaganza showcasing a series of violent andor erotic personal encounters.

He dabbled in Marx, Engels and Freud. He turned Siegmund into Tarzan and Siegfried into Rambo. He kept his cast frantic. Everyone on the stage spent long stretches of time climbing, clattering, staggering, lunging, leaping and, most important, creeping and crawling over Hans Schavernoch's bleak sets. Presiding over what amounted to the world's most exhaustive and exhausting run-and-roll show, Kupfer offered a little stage magic here and a lot of agitprop flimflam there.

In his not-so-grand finale, he delivered and not a moment too soon a jolting Poignant Message rather than the usual apotheosis. Just when love should triumph Mile North ot Shyl Exny on Route 202, King of Prussia MIC PIUIIN (UOEIS Townstnp une Road 1 Mae ol West Chester Pk DrexelHl EIIC I THE CAMPUS 40th and Makut Streets EMC mil IAEDEM000 BjMerwood Shopping Ctr, Rt 611 to Fairway East Jaflkintown ERIC TWII CUFTOIJEIIHTS Baltimore Pete at Baiaar 0 Tiffany's debut in A.G. HOW SHOWING it these First Run Theatres! I "LARGER THAN LIFE I I TUCKER, i A THE MAN JA (HI AND HIS DREAM JTi, CC- MC PAUCE 1812 Chestnut Street 40222 1 30 500 730 955PM 15 00 Show 951 AMC CITY UNE 1 In and City Une Avenue AMC IATEWAT Devon Exit on Route 202 South ot Skyl Expressway AMC IRAN ITS RON I Baltimore Pike at Granite Run Mad AMC ANDORRA I Ridge and Henry Avenues AMC IARRS 1'1 MM at Ooytestown On Route 61 1 (ESP. IB AMC GRANITE RUN I Baltimore Pe at Granite Run Mat AMC PREMIERE 2 NWiatreny (Ml at Sears, lit 1 1 Pa TP AMC 309 CINEMA I tod of 509 fipv at Rt MontgOTfryv' ERIC KING 4 QUEEN I 1 Mi of vn Expv on Rt 202, King of Prussia SAMEMC 1908 Otestnot St. 567 0604 12 45, 00, 5:15.

750,1000 SJ GUM 1PM AMC BARNS 1V, unless otooylestown on ft en AMCBRWMWfflZ Unt aster ptke wwt of Bryn Mam Avenue and duped supermen, noble gods and evil dwarfs, droning dragons and other unlikely spirits. In the bad old days, before World War II, Ring stagings invariably reflected and respected a tradition of gently stylized, quasi-realistic, often silly romanticism. Hefty heroes wore bearskins. Buxom sopranos were adorned with braids and breastplates. Naive canvases depicted trees that looked like trees and rocks that looked like rocks.

Everyone did a lot of swooning, swooping and hyper-pathetic emoting. This was serious work. Then came the war, and, with it, the need for reassessment. In recent decades, there have been notable attempts to interpret the drama of the Ring in less amusing, less bemusing, hopefully more stimulating terms. Wagner's grandson, Wieland, baldly explored the liberating possibilities of stylization and abstraction.

Patrice Chereau boldly celebrated the Ring centennial with a thinking-man's version that invoked Shaw, the Industrial Revolution and several levels of social criticism. This summer, it was Harry Kupfer's turn. Kupfer, 53, is something of an analytical provocateur and, as head of the Komische Oper in notta slapped her sisters a high five, including 8-year-old Natalie, and then collapsed into her seat, covering her face with her hands in disbelief. After the concert, Tiffany wandered up to a VIP and press reception where she purred for pictures with children of the highest of high rollers and signed autographs. Two of the lucky ones were brothers Tommy and Sal Ciminello of Westchester, N.Y.

But after posing and getting Tiffany's autograph, Tommy, 13, complained to his mother: "She kept my pen." TOV5 US 1 mw I I NOW at these Theatres! AMC 1RUANSI Cottman A BustWon Avet PMadekXM AMC JOS CINEMA I Norm En) ot 309 buoy at At 63 Montgomeryviile MW JCWO TROTItl AMC 0EPTT0R0 I On Clements Bridge across tram me Mall AMC MARLTOI I 600 North Rt 73, Martton AMC MIILSI0E4 Rt 130.4 Miles the Pennsauken Mart. Oekan ERIC TWIN ITRATT0RS White Nine Pe. Strattod AMC side CITY 2 Sansom Si Walkway between 2nd Front 627 5966 1245.245,500. 715 4 9 30 (500 SIW $2951 AMC ANDORRA Rdge and Henry Avenues AMC AUTHOR! WAYNE Lancaster Avenue Wayne AMC GRANITE RUN I Ballimore Pike at The Gianile Run Mall AMC LEO MAli 2 11848 Buslieton Avenue NE (tutuwona a a Monday. August IS.

at 8 B.B. KING Mariana Shaw Tin 18. J5. S3 No refunds, no packages permitted THE DELL EAST 33rd A Dauphin 8t. kite 477-S810 Previews Start Mon Aug 22 8 All-True Ockens-Like Oama of Today "A FATAL INNOCENCE" Writer Barnard Sackert, Director Stephen stahl All Seats 10 Phone Res All Credit Cards (Air Conditioned) ON STAGE THEATRE 7in0 W7-0741 NOW THRU AUGUST 21 Back By Popular Demand CLARICE TAYLOR Rill Cosby'; TV Mother as Jackie "Moms" Mabley "MOMS" a Comedy with Music Tues.

to Sat 8 pm. Sun 7 30 pm. Matinees Sat pm. Sun 3 pm Tickets Tues Wed Thurs fc? 50, $18 SO. 16 60.

all others SO. SO Jib 50 at Bo Ottice. Ticketron. Phone-Charge 574-3686 WALNUT STREET THEATRE 9th and Walnut 8ta. Tlckal kite 574-J550 TUFSOAY At 8 PM WINNFR BEST MU6ICAL 19ARI "Get Thee To Nunsense'" Peope Magatmt "A Philadelphia HAbtT-frtgurrvr NUNSENSE The Smasi Hrf Miatctl Ccfwfy Evenings Tues Wed Fn A Sat at 8 PM! Matinees Sat at 3 PM and Sun at 3 PM Tickets at Bok Ottice, Ticketron or PHONf A Sf AT (Credit Cards! 215 923-0210 Oroup Discounts 215-735-5605 SOCIETY HILL PLAYHOUSE 507 S.

Ith 8lraat 923-0710 FINAL Wt IKS' STATEMENTS AFTER AN ARREST UNDER THE IMMORALITY ACT by Alhol Fuqard "MAtrVRLOlrSlYSINPITIVF THF HKiMFST LEVEL Of ACHirVFMI NTS OF PHIt ADELPHIA'S I FADING AHT TMf ATMf THl fHILAOeiPHIA nVOUWOt Tues Fri at 8 pm. Sat at 5 and 9 pm. Sun Mat pm Tickets $15 and $18 Air -conditioned THE WILMA THEATER 2030 Saneom St. (OH RlttenhouM Sq 9M-0M5 Jl 1 IT ROBERT DE NIRO CHARLES GROWN CCI0KTIHAIT4 Rmsevnn Btal 4 Welsh Road NE PtttrtHpriia ICC nttJOHTN MEETtNt MAU I A Germantown PAe above the Pennsylvania TuinpAe IEW JEMET TNUTIES EPIC TNM PLAU M00DUT0II1I In the Moorestown Mall ICC DEPTFOM MAU I Deptlord Cenler Road I Opposite Sears Auto ICC ECHEUDN NHL 4 SomeriWe Road, North ot White Horse Pike. Voorhees AMC HILLSIDE 4 CHECK THEATRE On Route 130, 4 Miles North of DIRECTORY the Pennsauken Mart Oeiran FOR SH0WTIMES CLEAN AND AMC ORLEANS I Cottman and Buslieton Ave AMC 30f CINEMA I North End ot 309 Expy at Rt 63.

Monlgonteryville AMC WALNUT MAU I 3926 Walnut Streel ERIC FAIIUSS RILLS Belween Route I and 13 Fairiess His NEW JERSEY THEATRES AMC 0EPTT0RI I On Clements Budge Road Across From The Mall. Deptlord AMC W000HMEN MAU 4 AMC MARLTON I 1-95. Woodhaven Rd 4 Rt 13 600 Norm Houte 73 Martton NEW JERSEY THEATRES AMC DEPTFORD On Clements Bridge Rd Across From The Deptlord Mall AMC MARLTON 800 North Route 73, Martton ATCO DRIVE-IN White Horse Pike. Alco ERIC TWIN WESTMONT Cuthbert Westmont ERIC TWIN WIUINEB0R0 Rt 130 NorttvS ol Levitt PKwy NO PASSES ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT CRUISE HI 7 I'M ftW 9WCt4HMltCJtM These Selected Theatte NEW JERSEY AMC DEPTFORD I On Clements Bridge Rd octoss (torn itie moll AMC MARLTON I 800 North Route 73 Martton ATCO DRIVE-IN Wtiite Horse Pike AICO ERIC TWIN ROUTE Ad lo Cherry Hill Mall Cherry Hill ERIC TWIN WIUINOIORO Rt 130 oUevffl PKwy OCC ECHELON MAU 4 Somerdote Rd of White Horse Pike i jtThet Selected Theatre OVER TEN MILLION PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE YEAR'S NOW SHOWING at these First Run Theatres! TIFFANY, from 1-C onship game. And when they were seated, they slipped the maitre d' a 10-spot to make sure they got good seats, just as Conover's dad, a vice president at Bally's Park Place, had told them.

But "as the curtain went down, I was really disappointed," said Con-over, who lives in Somers Point, N.J. And how about Simona Serio, 13, who came all the way from Florence, Italy? "She arrived from Italy clutching a Tiffany tape in her hand, so what else could we do?" said her grandmother Ann Shane, who lives near Princeton and secured the tickets. But all that for only 30 minutes. "I enjoyed it, but it was short," Serio said. And the Markowitz sisters, Rachel, 10 and Jennifer, 7, gelled their hair, bought new scmnges for their pony-tails and really turned themselves out with white leggings and painted T-shirts.

They loved what they got, but it wasn't enough. "That was one of the worst concerts I've ever been to," said their mother, Shelly Markowitz of East Brunswick. "What a rip-off. Plus, the music was too loud." Even the cocktail waitresses were bummed out. Teenagers don't tend to be heavy tippers.

"I had one table full of adults but they split," said Gina Nocarksi. Not everybody was disappointed, however. Clearly those who had the most fun were the four sisters from Yon-kers, N.Y. During the short concert, Tiffany roamed through the audience, shaking hands and even signing autographs as she sang. One of the sisters from Yonkers, Melinda Pagnotta, 14, actually got to sing a duet with Tiffany when she stopped at their table, and she even soloed for a few lines to the song "I Think We're Alone Now." After that burst of excitement, Pag tp a 1 TICKETS ON SALE NOW SHVEW ANNIVERSARY SEASON OPENS SEPTEMBER 7 PENNSYLVANIA AND MILWAUKEE BALLET PETER MARTIN'S ROMANTIC CLASSIC LA SYLPHIDE September 7th-1tth PBS' DANCE IN AMERICA will Mm our production lot telecast in Spring, ol 1989 Also.

Lynn Taylor Corhett's BRAHMS SONATAS Hurry1 7 Partormances Only Tickets US MS $30 fo ACADEMY OF MUSIC raid loctat Stratts Academy Charge (215) S93-WM Friday. August 19. at 6 AFRICAN-AMERICAN FESTIVAL Free concert No mimJAte no packages permitted Th Doll East 33rd A DaupMn Sit. kilo: 477-M10 if HMieHa Wednesday, August 17, at 8 m. JERRY BUTLER Gloria Lynne Tli 19 16.

$3 A No refunds no packages permitted Ttw Doll East 33rd Dauphin 8M. kite 477-8810 JERSEY SHORE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL JUDY COLLINS TtMjnday. Auqust 18 at 8 00 PM 10 30 PM STOCKTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER STOCKTON STATE COLLEGE 12 mi ml of Atlantic City In Pomona, PM Bolt omen (009) 852-9000 ToMron. 1-800-233-4050 AMC WOODHAVEN MALI 4 1-95. Woodhaven Rd.

and Rt 13 NE. Philadelphia ERIC TWIN FRAZIR Rt 30 and Malm Rd, Fraier ERIC TWIN HORSHAM Blair Mill Rd. and Moteland Ave. Horsham ERIC TWIN LAWRENCE PARK Lawrence Park Shopping Center ERIC 4 MAC DADE MAU. MacOade Blvd and South Ave.

SCC NORTHEAST 4 Roosevelt Blvd and Welsh Road CENTER Cin-PHILADELPHIA AMC MOTOWN 2 Chestnut Street at Broad Street PINNSTIWNIA THEATRES AMC ANDORRA 6 Ridge and Henry Avenues AMC GATEWAY 3 Devon Exit on Rt 202 S. ol Expy. AMC BRAN TO RUN I Baltimore Pike at Granite Run Mai AMC 389 CINEMA I North End ol 309 Expy at Rt 63 Mortgomeryviile 3 ERIC LINCOIN PLAZA TWIN Outlet Mall, Rt. 1, Unonorne ERIC 4 MACDAOE MALL MacDadeBM) South Ave WrwMen GCC NORTHEAST Roosevelt Bvd SWtstiRd GCC PLYMOUTH MTG. MAL1 1 ft 2 Cermantown Pike Abv.

Pa ipk NEW JERSEY AMC 0EPTFOR0I On Clements Bridge across from the null AMC MARLTON I 800 NOtth Route 75. Martton DELAWARE FRICSTRI-STATE MALL Naamans Rd Clayrnont 9M TmNlirTNttlTUH IMC I ON TM CAMPUS aomtvVamutstt. Htwmttr HHC PtNNSAUmM Rtl. 73 130r toe Pal 6r CC MPTPOPD MAU uepttora Cente lid. (Odp Sean Auto) OCC KHCIONMAU4 otwrmeHotMPtt.

DIUWAM IRIC I TW-ITATI MAU FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT Al mm ft Am MOST EXCITING MOVIE! NOW IT'S YOUR TURN. crura crrr tAMEWC4 lOOHChMtnutlt 14 70MM. MPACK STEPfO OLE RtC TWIN IVY uommoln Mae IMC KINO TOM 7M ttOOl Ave I Ml ol Sen fioy onBt 202 RtC TWIN WKNCI PAM AMCMANITf MMt Baltimore at Grand Pun Man AMC OMJANI I Cottman Buttwlon. NE Mia. IWCaRAITliVlUJ Street to aUuitletonPK.

mcTwwmAzn aoftMoiniM Lawrence Pk snpg ctr. IMC 4 MocDADI MALL MocDodeewd South Ave. UK I MONTOOMCRYVIUI Rtl 309 202463 mCIPtNNJRtfV At I aioondvu ERIC TWIN CHESTNUT HIU In The Market Square Crittenden SI Mermotd Ln ERIC 4 CONC0RDVIUE Rl 202 A Jet US 1 A 322 ERIC FAIR LESS HILLS Between Rt 1 13 Fairiess Hills ERIC 4 FEASTERVILLE Street Rd A Busttelon Pk. ERIC KINO A QUEEN 1 Mi ot Sch Expy on Rl 202. King at Prussia ERIC 3 MONTOOMERYVIUE Rts 309.

202 A 463 OCC NORTHEAST 4 Roosevelt Blvd A Welsh Rd NO PASSES ACCEPTED mm ERIC'S MARK I Holiday Inn Compter. 1 8th i Market Sts. 564 6222 1245 3 05, 525, 745 10 0OPM -S3 00 till 1PM AMC IARN 1 ''i Miles ol Doylestown on Rl 611 AMC EXTON 2 Rts 30 100, Exlon AMC SPRINGFIELD 2 Botnmore Pike 4 Sprout Rd Del Co AMC WOODHAVEN MAU 4 195 Woodhaven Rd A Rl 13 ERIC TWIN ARDMORf Loncostet Ave TIME TO TOON IN AGAIN lor the moat highly accuumed mow of the year! rR55 IRK "srar LJv(ll'al-i i l.l fT'W SAM'S PLACE I A II ITte Cornet ot 19m A Chestnut 97238 100, 315, 530. 7 45. 1000 -S3 00 till I 00PM ERIC TWIN BattirrKxe QiHon ERIC 4 Rt 202 -win ii Ml)ktllllMUILmlltimmm miliii CLIFTON HEIGHTS Pk at Bojoot Heights CONCOPDVtUt A Jet US 1 A 322 Concorflviile ERIC 4 FEASTIRVIUE Street Rd A Buslieton PK Feosiervilie ERIC TWIN HORSHAM Biait Mill Rd A Moreland Ave Horstiom ERIC PENN JERSEY Rl I at Olds Blvd Fairiess HUH ERIC TWIN PLAU Rts 20? 363 Hny A Tpke King ol Prussia Shpg IRIC ON THE CAMPUS 40th A Walnut Sis Phiiodeipmo ERIC WYNNEWOOD 252 Loncostet Ave Wynnowood NEW JERSEY AMC DEPTFORD I On Clwnents Bnrjge Rd ocmss ttom the moll Deptlord ERIC TWIN PLAZA MOORESTOWN In me Moorestown Mall ERIC TWIN WESTMONT Cuthbert Blvd EPIC BIHENHOUSE 1 1 907-191 1 WALNUT ST.

567-0110 WJ II 50.1250, 210,31 0.4 30.5 30, 7 00.8 00.9 30. 10 30 AMC ANDORRA Ridge A Henry Aves AMC IARN I I Miles ol Doylestown on Rl 61 1 AMC EXTON 2 Rts 30 A 100. Exlon AMC ORLEANS I Cotimon A Buslteton, Northern! Ptnto AMC 309 CINEMA I End 309 txpy at Rt 63 Morrrgomeryvitkj AMC 011 AMI Cottmon Huitleton. NC PnMo mcrwtNAPOMoti Loncoiter Ave mc TWIN AtOWWOOO SorKteoonrl na Ctr 01 61 1 totatrwav Hie TWIN CMtlTHUT HIU tne Moiliet Equate IMC 4 CONCOtDVIUI Bt 2024JC1 U8ISJ22 eIC4IAITWVIUI SlieelUd AKotnetonPn eimcTwmetAIA en 702 v3 fipv e.Tnte Kmg ot Piumkj Snpg Ploia MWJHHtT AMCOOOtOt Ol lementl Bridge from the mol IMCIPtNtMAUKIN mi I3ur lac eai tt. MONDAY.

AUGUST AT 8 GOSPELRAMA III MARY MASON, M.C. MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY METROPOLITAN MALE ENSEMBLE Tin h. UIU No return, no parkaqes permitted Tho Doll Eaol 33rd I Dauphin 81. Into: 477-OB10 4MMeMIIRiaM.