These phantoms vanish, pantomime-like, every time the haunted god turns to look for them. Latterly he reappears fondling the pregnant woman who will give birth to Hagen. Part way through a giant projection of a lolling-tongued Alberich appears behind the action вЂ“ we know this because he has вЂњNibelungвЂќ tattooed on his brow. Later, the cabin trucks off leaving the stage bare for WotanвЂ™s narration вЂ“ a moment of visual relief for what is the operaвЂ™s emotional and philosophical still point. BrГјnnhilde, sporting what looks like a natty set of white PJs decorated with Bayeux Tapestry motifs, is playing darts while she awaits her instructions from Wotan, here clad in startlingly red rain attire, more functional than grand. Are they Norns, perhaps, or gnomes? Who can tell? Their job appears to be to simply watch, wait and occasionally shift the scenery.ДЄct Two is set in a more up-market, mostly two-dimensional log cabin (Jones often goes for this slightly distancing geometric look). Meanwhile, outside in the darkness lurk several black-clad figures. In one of many worn tropes, Hunding lays brutally into Sieglinde every time she opens her mouth, making you wonder why she bothers. They may or may not be dogs вЂ“ they certainly donвЂ™t act like them вЂ“ but either way, his tee-shirted crew seem to eat it up politely enough. The hut is stocked with logs, gasoline and tin cans, the latter вЂ“ according to a preview feature in The Guardian вЂ“ containing dog food to be consumed later by HundingвЂ™s henchmen. Nicky Spence as Siegmund and Emma Bell as Sieglinde. Clearly she needs him, but his springing instantly into her arms before ricocheting to the floor defeats all of WagnerвЂ™s subsequent musical efforts to gradually explore their connection. The opening storm music finds Sieglinde conjuring up Siegmund from a trapdoor in front of the hut. The hut, which looks like a modern prefab, is scarcely bigger than the enormous dead tree that grows up through it, leaving you wondering why they didnвЂ™t simply build it three feet to the right or left. These dismal hangings remain throughout, occasionally lifting at the back to allow a character or piece of scenery to trundle awkwardly on or off.

The curtain rises to reveal a tiny hut on an otherwise bare stage, boxed in on three sides with pleated grey drapes (Stewart Laing designed both the uninspiring set and the bright, lively costumes). ItвЂ™s always hard to tell what a director is trying to say when you come to the RingвЂ™s second part without the benefit of seeing Das Rheingold (postponed due to the pandemic until next year), but even so this production seemed short on ideas, and many of those it had felt like misfires. Thirty years on, this new Valkyrie avoids some of the crazy excesses of JonesвЂ™ previous effort, but it also lacks much of its imaginative boldness. He was also the director of a notoriously disliked Ring Cycle for Covent Garden back in 1993, a fact that raised the odd eyebrow when he was announced to direct the ENOвЂ™s first Ring in 15 years, the one intended to replace the MetвЂ™s equally notorious Robert Lepage Ring, another of operaвЂ™s dampest squibs. So, what went wrong? Jones is a hugely experienced director with a string of hits including the MetвЂ™s Hansel and Gretel and more recently the Royal OperaвЂ™s stylish La BohГЁme.

Brindley Sherratt as Hunding, Nicky Spence as Siegmund and Emma Bell as Sieglinde.

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