Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) is a monumental experience that tells a unified story, drawn from Norse mythology, over the course of four complete operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. The composer's concept was immense: an orchestral, vocal and theatrical portrayal of a legendary war between gods and mortals for control of the earth. Conceived as a festival event, it is the largest work in the history of Western music, developed over the course of 28 years from its conception in 1848 to the first performances of the completed cycle in 1876.
Although individual operas are performed as works in their own right, a full understanding of the story of the Ring cycle requires attendance at all four operas, which was the intention and expectation of the composer.
LA Opera has joined forces with Los Angeles' cultural and
educational institutions to stage the first significant citywide
cultural festival since the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival.
