# Humour in Wagner's operas



## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Taking a cue from another thread and not wishing to derail it...

If one's knowledge of Wagner's personality comes from Richard Burton's portrayal in the biopic then it's easy to see RW as dour and humourless. But having read much in this recent year about his life, it's apparent that he was extremely lively, quick-witted and often jokey. Or course that doesn't mean he was any good at writing comedy, but I sense there are times where he was intending comic effect, at least for occasional chuckles from the audience. Alas, I can't find any documentary corroboration as yet.

Siegfried, often referred to as the Ring's _scherzo_ (trans: joke), has a scattering of comedic moments. I certainly feel the audience is invited to laugh at many points. I also find Das Rheingold worthy of a few chuckles at times.

What do you think? Composer's intentions? Modern directors' interpretations? Your favourite funny moments in Wagner's operas?

This thread could soon sink without trace


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Alexander said:


> This thread could soon sink without trace


And this post will probably do the trick . . .

Wagner used to stand on his head to amuse guests, so he was not completely without a lighter side.

While none of his works are a laugh a minute, even the ultra-solemn _Parsifal_ has its lighter moments. At the beginning of Act I, the very opening lines give us Gurnemanz gently chastising the dozing squires: "Ho there! You guardians of the woods, / or rather guardians of sleep, / at least wake at morn!" Then at the end of the act, when Gurnemanz dismisses the fool Parsifal from the Grail temple, he advises the young man to do no more hunting: "In future leave the swans here in peace / And find you, gander, a goose!" Then near the beginning of Act II, Klingsor's description of Parsifal defeating the apostate knights has a bouncy, light-hearted feel, as do the pouting lamentations of the flower maidens, their disputes among themselves for the young man's favors, and their final jeers at him as they depart.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Kundry was hilarious.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Probably the only character written by Wagner with some sparkling wit is Loge. That moment at the end of Rheigold where he is increasingly raging and then in blink of the eye his music calms down to fall into "who knows what will I do!" phrase is great. Too bad he decided not to include him further, other than in form of fire. Of course much depends on performer of this role, it needs somebody to pull off the character in all it's potential awesomeness. I liked Jersusalem in the old Met cycle (at least way, way better than his Siegfried).


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

I think all Wagner's operas have moments of, perhaps not humour, but lighter whimsicalness. The exception is Tristan und Isolde, that is overt seriousness from first note to last.


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## Volve (Apr 14, 2013)

When watching the Boulez Ring, I always laugh at Fricka's entrance on act 2 of Die Walküre. Brunnhilde's such a little laughing her way out and Wotan's like "dude, come back!", and she hojotoho's her way out leaving him to his demise. So funny.


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## Posie (Aug 18, 2013)

In the middle of die Walküre, when I found out that Siegmund and Sieglinde were twins, I thought "that's a little to weird," but then laughed out loud because I could imagine that happening in real life. Narcissistic chemistry and all that...


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

There's a lot of humor in Die Meistersinger . The libretto is full of clever word play , puns, silly rhymes,
and the characters make a lot of witty ,sarcastic comments to each other; put downs, insults etc.
The way Beckmesser garbles the words of Walther's prize song is hilarious . If you read the literal
English translation ,it sounds just like one of those surrealistic Beatnik poems of the 1950s and 60s !
In the second act, when Beckmesser is trying to serenade Eva , and gets the accentuation of the
words all wrong to fit the melody , it's also hilarious .
In the second act of Siegfried , our young hero tries to make a primitive wind instrument our of 
some reeds , ( reeds in nature,not wood wind reeds ) , and attempts to play it ineptly , while the principal
oboe deliberately makes squeaking and honking sounds . Another funny scene .


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

"Das ist kein Mann!" from Siegfried is the funniest moment in all opera as far as I am concerned


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