Acting
Martin Egel
Born
1944-01-17 (82)
Place of birth
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Known for
Acting
Credits
3 titles
Martin Egel (born 17 January 1944) is a German bass-baritone in opera and concert, who made an international career. He appeared at the Bayreuth Festival from 1975 to 1986. He is also a speaker for television and recordings. Egel was born in Freiburg im Breisgau as the son of the contralto singer Marga Höffgen and the choral conductor Theodor Egel. He studied voice in Frankfurt and Basel and made his stage debut at the Theater Basel in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro in 1973, and remained a member of the ensemble to 1980. At the Bayreuth Festival, Egel appeared from 1975 to 1986, including as Donner in the Jahrhundertring from 1977 to 1980. He was a guest at major opera houses in Germany and E…
Known for
NRNo synopsis available yet.
Le monde est à vous
1987
7.1This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.
Wagner: Das Rheingold
1980
7.3Take a perfect cast, a great conductor and a groundbreaking staging in-out makes a 'Tristan' for eternity. The 1983 performance in Bayreuth was a great moment for the world of opera. The ensemble performance of René Kollo, Johanna Meier and Matti Salminen with, then as now the Wagner admirer, Daniel Barenboim conducting the Bayreuth orchestra inspired singers and instrumentalists to peak performance. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle created a dream-beautiful stage.
Tristan und Isolde
1983
Film credits
1980s · 2 titles
7.1This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.
Wagner: Das Rheingold
1980
7.3Take a perfect cast, a great conductor and a groundbreaking staging in-out makes a 'Tristan' for eternity. The 1983 performance in Bayreuth was a great moment for the world of opera. The ensemble performance of René Kollo, Johanna Meier and Matti Salminen with, then as now the Wagner admirer, Daniel Barenboim conducting the Bayreuth orchestra inspired singers and instrumentalists to peak performance. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle created a dream-beautiful stage.
Tristan und Isolde
1983