It's understandable that Joe Mallahan, a son of Everett (the Athens of Puget Sound), will be shy about lording it over his Seattle fellow-candidates. And that Dow Constantine would drip Everett-envy.
There are delights, especially Stephanie Blythe's Fricka for the ages and a fine new Siegmund (Stuart Skelton) and Mime (Dennis Petersen). But the sets create cramped spaces for acting and singing, sacrificing characterization and meaning.