Film of MOT's 'Twilight: Gods' at Detroit Opera House

The Detroit News

If you couldn't snag a ticket to Michigan Opera Theatre's box-busting "Twilight: Gods" last weekend, staged on multiple levels of the six-story Detroit Opera House Parking Center, here's good news:

Tonight and Wednesday there are a limited number of free tickets to a screening at Detroit Opera House of a live, filmed version of this visually stunning, hour-long adaptation by new MOT Artistic Director Yuval Sharon of Wagner's six-hour "Götterdämmerung" (Twilight of the Gods).

The Opera House screenings, which start both nights at 6:20 p.m., are shot live from a car going through the performance as you watch.

Celebrated American soprano Christine Goerke starred as Brünnhilde. Lively plot summation and commentary was voiced by Detroit poet and activist Marsha Music as the earth-goddess Erda, with verse she adapted from the original and recast.

Detroit poet and author Marsha Music played Erda, the earth goddess who summarizes much of the plot in original verse.

The four parking-deck performances, Saturday and Sunday, and tonight and Wednesday -- "Equal parts drive-in theater and opera house event," as MOT put it -- sold out within 32 hours. Some 400 lucky vehicles scored tickets.

Performances were quite a workout. With scenes playing simultaneously on different floors (happily, no sound bleed-through), MOT was able to stage 12 rotations of "Twilight: Gods" per night with eight cars snaking through the parking deck for each. (Saturday got two extra.)

Patrons enjoyed a socially-distanced, visually stunning experience unlike any other, with music from small, live ensembles -- a single, haunting cello in one case -- piped in on their FM radio dial. So no need to roll down the windows.

In a delightful Detroit touch, Brünnhilde makes her final exit from "Twilight: Gods" in a Ford Mustang.

Co-commissioned by MOT and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a new staging by Sharon will appear in the Windy City this spring.

Those who attend the Opera House film screenings tonight and Wednesday will have to mask up, get their temperature checked as they enter, and maintain social distance.

In a fitting Detroit touch, Brünnhilde (Christine Goerke) makes her final exit in "Twilight: Gods" in a Ford Mustang.

The bottom line? "Twilight: Gods" is both beautiful and really quite a hoot -- well-worth going out of your way for.

mhodges@detroitnews.com

(313) 815-6410

Twitter: @mhodgesartguy

Yuval Sharon's "Twilight: Gods" turned the brutalist nature of a parking deck to its advantage with clever staging.

Free live screenings of MOT's 'Twilight: Gods'

6:20 p.m. -- tonight & Wed.

Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway, Detroit

Free

Click here to reserve a free ticket, or visit motopera.org

For groups larger than 4, call (313) 237-7464

View Comments