Wagner’s Ring is lauded as the inspiration behind many great themes, stories and soundtracks across the ages.
An astonishing classical work is coming to Bendigo for an exclusive performance. Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, translated in English as The Ring of the Nibelung but often simply referred to as The Ring cycle, is around 15 hours in length.
The four-part music drama work is loosely based on characters from Germanic heroic legend, chiefly Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied. Wagner wrote the libretto and music over the course of 26 years, from 1848 to 1874. The Nibelung in the title refers to the dwarf Alberich.
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Regional Australia’s first-ever opera festival is coming to Bendigo in 2023
Having been unlucky in love, Alberich renounces it altogether, instead opting for wealth. He steals a bounty of gold from the Rhinemaidens, three water-nymphs, from which he fashions a magical ring that gives power to rule the world. However, the ring is stolen by Wotan, the King of the Gods, which is then taken from him by two giants as payment for building Valhalla. Wotan spends his time scheming to retrieve the ring. There is more to the story of course, much more, so fortunately the performances will have English subtitles so theatre-goers are better able to follow.
Although there has been suggestion that J.R.R. Tolkien borrowed elements of Der Ring des Nibelungen for The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien denied it. “Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases” he wrote in a letter later published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Interesting, Tolkien and C.S. Lewis at one stage began working on a translation of the second opera of the saga, Die Walküre. .
Directed by Suzanne Chaundy and led by internationally recognised conductors Anthony Negus and Dr David Kram AM, the four performances will take place at Ulumbarra Theatre with a 90-piece orchestra.
Performance times
Das Rheingold: March 24 – 7:30pm
Running time is approximately 135 minutes.
Die Walküre: March 26 – 2pm
Running time is approximately 350 minutes
Siegfried: March 31 – 4pm
Running time is approximately 340 minutes
Götterdämmerung: April 2 – 2pm
Running time is approximately 390 minutes
Tickets
Premium $1500, A reserve $1200, B reserve $900, C reserve $750
Further information is available through bendigoregion.com.au/arts-culture-theatres
