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New BBC TV Documentary: "Pappano’s Essential Ring Cycle"

Written By The Wagnerian on Monday 13 May 2013 | 5:46:00 pm

"Honest! The fish I caught in the Rhein was this big"
Lets hope it is a little less "one-sided" and "idiosyncratic" than the last BBC Radio 3 Wagner documentary. But given that we hear Pappano is something of a Wagner "fan", and that he certainly has the background to have a clear understanding of Wagner and his work, we have much hope.

Celebrating the bicentenary of Richard Wagner’s birth, Sir Antonio Pappano presents a 60-minute documentary which seeks to unravel the genius of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, one of the towering achievements of opera and a work which has challenged producers, conductors and performers alike, since its inception.

Filmed in London, Bayreuth, Bavaria and Switzerland, Pappano presents a unique insight into the story of this masterpiece from the people who perform it. In particular, he shares his insights into the extraordinary theatre at Bayreuth, exploring what it shows us about the theatrical world Wagner wanted to create. With expert comment from artists who appeared in the recent Royal Opera House production of The Ring, including Bryn Terfel, Susan Bullock and Sir John Tomlinson, the programme includes rehearsal footage from each of the four operas and performance from the 2005-7 production staged by Keith Warner.

Friday 17 May
7.30-9.00pm
BBC FOUR