Posted on 09/07/2006 12:22:24 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
The Los Angeles Opera will spend a $6m (£3.2m) gift from two philanthropists on staging its first production of Richard Wagner's epic Ring cycle. The four-opera production, which takes days to perform, took 28 years for the German composer to write.
Tenor Placido Domingo, who is general director of the opera company, thanked Eli and Edythe Broad - who made money from house building - for the donation.
"I hope to sing the role of Siegmund, if I am still singing then," he said.
"The far-reaching generosity of their gift will help make this vision a reality," the 65-year-old added.
Details about the cast and schedule will be released later this month.
Success hoped
In the past the Ring cycle has been profitable in cities like Chicago and Bayreuth, Germany.
Eli Broad, who founded real estate company KB Home and financial services firm SunAmerica, expects the Los Angeles production to be just as successful.
"The Ring's impact on the city's cultural and economic life goes beyond the power of the production itself," he said.
"A Ring cycle must be presented over a series of six days or so. It encourages visitors from all over the world to stay at least a week."
His wife Edythe suggested staging Wagner's work in Los Angeles.
"My husband didn't want to take me to Europe to hear it," she joked.
Based on Norse mythology, Der Ring des Nibelungen - known also as the Ring cycle - tells the story of the struggle over a ring so powerful that it gives its bearer the ability to rule the world.
It took Wagner 28 years to finish it because of the complicated rehearsals and difficulties in casting.
Das Rheingold, the first part of the Wagner's Ring Cycle, made its debut in 1876.
Now there is $6 million dollars well spent. LOL!
"Das Rheingold, the first part of the Wagner's Ring Cycle, made its debut in 1876."
Mein Ring ist Rheingold das dry Ring...
Ping
Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit.
If the Ring isn't a successful production, it will surely be Goetterdaemmerung for the Opera Company.
IMO, these two philanthropists spent
their money on a worthy endeavor.
I wore out my old records of
the trilogy years ago and bought
it on DVD's. Still listen to it
at least once a year. Having the
libretto to follow along is also
great.
If the LA Opera Company videotapes/
records the live performances, you
can bet there will be many customers
for a copy of the finished production.
Even if it went for only $200 a pop,
they'd make a profit.
Interesting.
I'm not much of an opera fan - probably because I can't understand a damn thing they're saying - but "The Ring" sounds like it could be quite interesting.
Too much brass. Sounds like Mexican pop.
$6mil? That's one heck of a production for Opera. I would sure like to see it.
The Ring is probably the most ambitious Opera ever written and the music is AMAZING, not to mention the story. If you're an opera fan, you have to see it at least once in your lifetime. Remember, the modern theatres have subtitles:)
I like the overture to his opera "Tannhauser"
Most modern opera companies provide a translation on a screen, either above the stage or on individual seats. the Ring's story is awesome, and is quite similar to the Lord of the Rings in many respects. If you have a lot of time to spend experiences the marriage of all the arts (like about 4-5 hours for each part of the tetralogy), then by all means you should go for it.
Dear good old days,
Thanks for the ping!
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sitetest
I've seen Die Walkure when I lived in Vienna. They had the whole cycle spread out over the course of the season, and I really wanted to go to all of them, but for some reason I didn't make it to them all (too much traveling around, I think).
There is the old debate about who borrowed from whom, i.e. Liszt from Wagner or Wagner from Liszt. Liszt eventually became Wagner's father-in-law after Liszt's daughter Cosima left her imperious but talented musician-husband, Hans von Bulow. Von Bulow was once a student of Liszt.
http://www.soundsandfury.com/soundsandfury/2004/07/detective_story.html
Thank goodness we will no longer have to put up with sub-standard, underfunded performances of Der Ring des Nibelunger.
:)
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