From Walküre to Tannhäuser on Zoom

 What a spectacular parade of greats we had to visit across 10 Monday afternoons on Die Walküre, which completes my Wagner Ring on Zoom (we started with Siegfried when lockdown meant I couldn't go to Gartmore for my annual course for the Wagner Society of Scotland, moved on to Götterdämmerung, Tristan, Meistersinger and Parsifal before going back to Rheingold). A Siegmund came first (the adorable Jay Hunter Morris, previously welcomed to talk Siegfried and Tristan), then two Sieglindes (Linda Esther Gray and Natalya Romaniw), a Wotan (John Tomlinson, just before we watched the big Act 2 monologue in the Kupfer Bayreuth production, still peerless alongside Chéreau's) and a Brünnhilde (Anne Evans, ditto before the final scene in the same production).  

Natalya's visit was a first. And of course she was a delight, sure of where she's going now but doubtful of the Wagnerian path before Sieglinde came her way (I remember a student from continental Europe who said she was cancelling her Royal Opera visit because Lise Davidsen, expecting twins, had pulled out - I told her the replacement wouldn't be second best). 

Of course the Royal Opera isn't looking too good now, having gone for former Putin supporter Anna Netrebko as Tosca to launch Jakub Hrůša's first season as Music Director in September when it could have highlighted La Romaniw, a Welsh-Ukrainian exponent of the role worldwide. Natalya is in any case singing Tosca for Welsh National Opera, so that's where to see it. I've decided I'll cover the Royal Opera version for The Arts Desk when Aleksandra Kurzak takes over. 

We've now plunged into the Venusberg in the first Zoom class on Tannhäuser, with six more Wednesdays to go. Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, who made such an impact as Elsa in Lohengrin at the Royal Opera, is preparing her first Elisabeth for Geneva Opera, and I hope she'll join us. In dealing with the background for the first class, I compared the original 1845 Overture (Klemperer) and the 1860 elision with a big Venusberg ballet for Paris, very much post-Tristan. John Neumeier's choreography for Gotz Friedrich at Bayreuth is very impressive. I have it on DVD, but it's all here on YouTube with English subtitles.

It's still not too late to join, since I can send the first class on video (and indeed you can always get the instalments that way if live attendance is difficult). Details below (click to enlarge).

More birds and bathing around Dublin Bay

Proud to say that for the first time I've completed year-round bathing from the Forty-Foot, Sandycove, Seapoint and Coliemore Harbour, most of it with my stalwart daily-dipping friend Catherine. I reported on the first, exhilarating taking the plunge a year after my op, and finding the stoma could withstand it, here. One of the February swims was the quickest in-and-out, and hardest because of grey skies and blasting winds.  

But if the sun shines, even when it's freezing, the after-change is delightful so long as you've got your back to one of the white walls in full bright light. Here's Catherine after one such swim. 

And of course sea socks and gloves, as recommended to me way back by the Menopausal Mermaids of Pittenweem, Fife, are essential. But even stormy October days can look splendid on the walk from Dun Laoghaire to Sandycove

and Seapoint is always an option if it looks too choppy at the Forty Foot (and, as on this occasion, Sandycove).

North Bull Island comes into its own when the waders and other seabirds are overwintering. 

Plentiful sanderlings were skeetering along the water's edge on this occasion.

Little Egrets are always numerous, but this one looked especially fine while crossing the wooden bridge

 and on a walk where the haunting cries of the curlews could be heard all the way from Clontarf Junction to the island, I managed to close in on one here.

It's usually when crossing over the other bridge a couple of miles further up that you see the waders en masse, especially striking at sunset.

 

Biggest surprise was to get off the DART at Booterstown, right by the small bird reserve there, and find a huge congregation of wigeon

and while gulls seemed fearless to crash in on their number, waders like greenshanks and even redshanks gathered around the edge.

Among visitors came Debbie and Derek from Berlin. I took them on the perfect walk, from Dalkey Station to Coliemore Harbour and Sorrento Point and back. 

and my swim in the harbour - I learnt my lesson after the near-drowning experience never to go beyond the walls - started the process whereby they both ended up taking the plunge at Sandycove.

 With Debbie and Seamus I discovered for the first time the wonders of the South Wall walk.

and was again astonished by the number of waders. Twitchers/birders told me this was the lowest tide of the year, hence the multitudes. 

The tide had turned and was sweeping in by the time we turned back from the lighthouse at the end of the wall. 

A couple of swims later, in early April, I was surprised to be hailed by someone while I was heading to the steps at the Forty Foot, having passed the heron on one of the rocks. 

It turned out that select members of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, admin and players, were down there for a dip between final rehearsal and that evening's riveting performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion. 

The walk from Sandcycover to Dun Laoghaire that day was an especially enriching one, all nature enjoying the spring sun. Two terns on a rock, back early for the summer

and two of the local seals (I've seen many more since).

 Further along, lads diving and jumping by the Roger Casement statue (I've yet to swim from there)

 On another beautiful day, Howth distant below fabulous cirrus and cumulus clouds, 

we swam from Seapoint

 we encountered not only Ireland's Labour leader, Ivana Bacik, from a distance, but also that marvellous actor/director/comedian/writer Liam Hourican with his girlfriend Lara.

It was here that I learned he was directing 'Telemachus', a dramatisation of the opening chapter of Ulysses, in and around the Martello Tower in the week before Bloomsday. The outcome of that and other gems you can read about here.

Two more walks with birds along the way to conclude for now. Back to North Bull Island with dramatic clouds threatening rain that never happened. Poolbeg Towers from the dunes 

and pansies below. 

Little egret in the saltmarsh

and ferry in the distance crossing back over the second bridge

 Good to see a fair few shelducks among the redshanks and black-tailed godwits

 Hadn't been along the Howth cliff walk for ages. It didn't disappoint.

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and even on the route up, a wren was blithely singing at very close quarters

 but of course the real joy was to be found on the cliff faces 

 and what a joy to move parallel with a flotilla of razorbills and guillemots.

I could go on - May and June yielded more gems - but it's hot sitting here even with the fan on, so enough sea pictures already. Back on Tuesday.