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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.
I sure hope they tape it. :)
Staging the enire cycle is indeed ambitious. I hope the L.A. Opera is up to the task.
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Hey now!
Don't tell me that you were disappointed with the Dubuque Theatre Company's version of "The Ring"?
I found it spell-binding. :)
Let's just make that a $5 million production and give the extra mil. to those left homeless by that last attack by Fafner.
Oh, yeah!
trilogy!? Is that the edited version of the 4 opera ring cycle?
Yes, and Jorge Bolet's version of the Liszt transcription. Sublime.
My favorite..... I even named my best shooting pistol (1911), "Woton" and the ugly Glock, "Brunhilda".
Man, it would be great if Bryn Terfel was in the cast. What voice and presence.
I hope they don't stage it in their usual 'underpants' costumes and 'whore-house' sets. Last time I attended LA Opera I BOOED at the end. You wouldn't think they could ruin Mozart, but think again. Don Giovanni/ the women were dressed like Madonna. I contacted LA Opera and they said, 'People LOVE our new productions.' oh I bet.
But that would be a perfect piece for Horowitz, so I'll get it.
'Course, we aren't blessed with
huge costume/staging productions
here in the States on the level
of those performed in Europe, but
it's going to be a once-in-a-life-
time event for some of us.
I absolutely agree.
I'm not much of an opera fan - but if the tickets weren't priced out of reach, I'd go to part of it.
"North winds bwow, south winds bwow, huwwicanes, typhoons....SMOG!"
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