Your magic adventure into opera
Before hobbits set out, Wagner gave us gods, gold and the ultimate power play. The Ring Cycle is opera at its boldest – and absolutely worth hearing at least once in your life.
Long before Middle Earth, there was Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen – The Ring of the Dwarves— a four-part operatic saga of mythical proportions, drawn from ancient Norse and German legends. Composed over 26 years by Richard Wagner, this extraordinary cycle is filled with larger-than-life characters: power-hungry gods, trickster dwarves, ambitious mortals, fire-breathing dragons and yes, a ring that brings both ultimate power and devastating ruin.
The saga kicks off with Das Rheingold — the enchanted gold — which the dwarf Alberich steals from the Rhine maidens and forges a ring granting world domination — but only if he renounces love! From there, the tale spirals through betrayal, forbidden romance, heroic quests and tragic downfall, across the three subsequent operas: Die Walküre — the Valkyrie (Brunnhilde warrior maiden), Siegfried — the hero, and Götterdämmerung — Twilight of the Gods. Wagner’s music is thunderous, tender, intimate and apocalyptic, weaving leitmotifs — recurring themes — for each character, object and idea, until they all collide in a fiery finale.
The influence of The Ring Cycle is everywhere. In modern fantasy, think Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, even Star Wars. But Wagner did it first. He gave us flying maidens, magic swords, love potions, giants and gods — all over 15 dramatic hours. It’s not just opera: it’s a mythological rollercoaster, an epic in soaring music and fiery spectacle. If you thought Tolkien’s ring caused trouble, wait till you meet Wagner’s — and you should!
WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT
People travel the world to see the newest production of The Ring Cycle, and some may have seen 50, 60, 70 different productions. This opera, really gets people hooked.
Hayllar Music Tours, a classical music travel company, offers travel packages to all of the world’s finest Ring Cycle productions, with upcoming performances in Vienna, Milan and Berlin. More information can be found on their website: hayllarmusictours.com
