Epic Opera Event comes to Melbourne

Melbourne will play host to its first ever staging of Wagnerâs epic, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) when Opera Australia brings this gargantuan production to the cityâs State Theatre in 2013.
Opera Australia will be presenting the production, in collaboration with Houston Grand Opera, the Victorian Government (through the Victorian Major Events Company), and Maureen and Tony Wheeler. The Melbourne Ring Cycle will be a journey through 15 hours of music across four nights in the theatre. The creative team will be led by two of Australiaâs most celebrated talents - director Neil Armfield and conductor Richard Mills. Three complete cycles will be performed during November/December 2013, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagnerâs birth.
This journey has been made possible through a leadership donation by Maureen and Tony Wheeler, the largest donation ever received by Opera Australia, with additional direct investment coming from Houston Grand Opera, VMEC and Opera Australia itself. It is hoped that this landmark production will ensure that Melbourne becomes the home of The Ring Cycle in Australia for many years to come, attracting a wide interstate and international audience on a triennial basis to the city.
Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini says âfor such an important event, we believe that The Melbourne Ring Cycle should have an Australian creative team and feature major international and Australian artists. Consequently it will be directed by one of Australia's finest directors, Neil Armfield and it will be conducted by one of Australia's finest conductors, Richard Mills. The Ring requires exceptional talent to reveal its greatness and I'm thrilled that Neil and Richard have accepted this greatest of all challenges.�?
Principal supporter Maureen Wheeler says âI became a convert to The Ring Cycle some 10 years and have managed to combine my passion for travel and The Ring by following it around the world. Besides English, I have seen it performed with surtitles in Chinese, Portuguese and Danish and regardless of the language I have never failed to be moved by this amazing work. I have also been pursuing a dream of having it performed in Melbourne for some years now and finally it is on its way to becoming a reality. I am thrilled that Opera Australia will be performing The Ring in Melbourne, 2013, Wagnerâs bicentenary.�?
Chief Executive Adrian Collette says âfor some time now Opera Australia has been keen to bring something special to Melbourne, to nurture this important part of our community and demonstrate our commitment to the city. Now with The Melbourne Ring Cycle, we have it. A wonderful opportunity to do something in this great city, harnessing the best talent together with the best of Opera Australia. And to bring the eyes of the world to Melbourne, to witness this extraordinary undertaking.�?
Collaborating with Opera Australia on this momentous prodution is the renowned Houston Grand Opera. Anthony Freud, OBE, General Director and Chief Executive of Houston Grand Opera, noted that the companies have collaborated on several important initiatives in recent seasons, including the acclaimed production of âPeter Grimesâ which Houston presents as part of its 2010/11 season.
"It is a thrill to work with Opera Australia on a groundbreaking new production of these important operas, and to contemplate bringing Houston Grand Opera's first-ever 'Ring' to the stage," Freud explains..
Houston will present the operas over the course of four seasons beginning in 2014, pending the successful conclusion of its fundraising campaign. "It is particularly gratifying to contemplate a 'Ring' that is brought into being by such a distinguished creative team," said Freud.
Director Neil Armfield is well known to Houston audiences as well as to national audiences in the US, due to his work on HGO's ongoing series of productions of the ope