| Der Ring des Nibelungen was back to Shanghai after 5 years |
Led by Founder & Artistic Director Gustav Kuhn, members of Tyrolean Festival Erl performed the “24-hour Ring Cycle”, widely regarded as Richard Wagner greatest opera ... Featuring 16 hours of performance, the work of almost 300 artists, and enjoying an unprecedented position in the history of world classical music, Der Ring des Nibelungen staged at the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall between 16thand 18thOctober. Led by Founder & Artistic Director Gustav Kuhn, members of Tyrolean Festival Erl performed the “24-hour Ring Cycle”, widely regarded as Richard Wagner greatest opera, to Chinese audiences. Before, Tyrolean Festival Erl made their debut at the Beijing Music Festival, presenting another two operas of Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Tristan und Isolde. Continuing the legend of Der Ring des Nibelungen, which was first performed in China by the Cologne Opera House, these performances brought a highly exhilarating experience to the audience.
Back in 2010 invited by Shanghai Grand Theater and organized by Wu Promotion, Der Ring des Nibelungen performed by the Cologne Opera House was a big success. Five years later, “24-hour Ring Cycle” made Shanghai a shrine of Wagner music.
As a part of the 17th Shanghai International Arts Festival, the “24-hour Ring Cycle” was a challenge for both the audiences and the performers. Like the performance in Erl, it started with Rheingold, followed by the Valkyre the next day at 5 o’clock and Siegfried at midnight. After only a few hours break, the Götterdämmerung was shown at the third and last day at 11am.Though it was a challenge and the Paper mentioned, “people were willing to ‘torture’ themselves”, it was a huge success.
Both productions exhibited consistent authenticity and attention to detail. In the Cologne Opera House’s version, the stage was adapted to accommodate the flames, which casts the heroes ring. According Wagners original score, the Tyrolean Festival Erl placed the orchestra on stage and the singers acting in front of it. By doing so, Erl is the only festival in the world envisioned the Wagner way. During the performance, there were six live TV transmission of Khun’s conducting as well as a camera filming the scene on stage. Maestro Khun was able to follow the action on stage on a small monitor on his conductor’s rostrum. By presenting Wagner in this special way, the Tyrolean Festival Erl achieved a unique acoustic situation that allows the singers to be part of the music, in Khun’s word:”In a way we fulfill his (Wagner’s) first vision for his own Wagner festival.”
Almost a thousand of mails and countless phone calls were made for the realization of this tour. In total 263 musicians performed for Tyrolean Festival Erl, which needed to apply for visa in 17 different countries. We have to say Thanks to the support of the embassies. Apart of that, all the musicians flied separated with more than different 30 flights, there were a lot of car and hotel arrangements required, plus the production needed to set the stage at night… We are grateful for every effort from Beijing Music Festival and Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall to let us finally succeed. Clipping Report: CCTV.com
|
