Der Ring des Nibelungen

Der Ring des Nibelungen or, translated commonly as The Ring of the Nibelungen into English but more correctly as The Nibelung's Ring, is a series of four epic operas. Both the libretto and the music were written by Richard Wagner over the course of twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874.

Performances

The complete cycle is performed most years in the Bayreuth Festspielhaus: the first staging of a new production becomes a society event attended by many important and popular people like politicians, actors, musicians and sportsmen. Tickets are hard to get and are often reserved years in advance.

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The Ring is a major undertaking for any opera company: staging four interlinked operas requires a huge commitment both artistically and financially. In most opera houses, production of a new Ring cycle will happen over a number of years, with one or two operas in the cycle being added each year. Bayreuth is unusual in that a new cycle is almost always created within a single year. The Ring cycle has been staged by opera companies in many different ways. Early productions often stayed close to Wagner's original Bayreuth staging. Following the closure of the Festspielhaus during the Second World War, the 1950s saw productions by Wagner's grandsons Wieland and Wolfgang Wagner which emphasised the human aspects of the drama in a more abstract setting. Famous modern interpretations include the centennial production of 1976 directed by Patrice Chéreau and conducted by Pierre Boulez. Set in the industrial revolution, it replaced the depths of the Rhine with a hydroelectric power dam and featured grimy sets populated by men and gods in business suits. Early performances were booed, but the production is now often regarded as revolutionary. Ring productions tend to fall into two camps: those which try to remain fairly close to Wagner's original stage design and direction, and those which seek to re-interpret the Ring for modern audiences, often inserting stage pictures and action which Wagner himself might not recognise. The production by Peter Hall, conducted by Georg Solti at Bayreuth in 1983 is an example of the former, while the production by Richard Jones at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 1994 - 1996, conducted by Bernard Haitink, is an example of the latter.

Related Topics:
Bayreuth - Second World War - Patrice Chéreau - Pierre Boulez - Industrial revolution - Peter Hall - Georg Solti - Royal Opera House - Bernard Haitink

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Another interesting complete Ring cycle was begun in 2004, performed by the English National Opera at the Coliseum Theatre near London's Trafalgar Square. The production is notable for its use of contemporary minimalist sets and costumes. Many of the scenes look like rooms from Ikea and indeed the production is sponsored by the MFI furniture company.

Related Topics:
2004 - English National Opera - Coliseum Theatre - London's - Trafalgar Square - Ikea - MFI

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Certain opera companies, such as the Seattle Opera, produce entirely new Ring cycles every 4 to 6 years. Seattle Opera's next cycle will be performed in August 2009.

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In Australia, 2005 saw the first full production of the Ring Cycle, in Adelaide.

Related Topics:
Australia - Adelaide

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The Canadian Opera Company is conducting its first complete Ring Cycle in 2006 upon the opening of the new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This production is notable for the stage direction by prominent, worldwide known Canadian film directors Atom Egoyan and François Girard.

Related Topics:
Canadian Opera Company - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Atom Egoyan - François Girard

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