Melbourne Ring Festival opening marks biggest ever opera event in Australia

The curtain will rise on The Melbourne Ring Cycle today (Monday 18th November), with Australian and international opera stars gathering at Arts Centre Melbourne for the biggest opera event ever seen in Australia.

Audiences from across the globe and interstate are now arriving for Ring Cycle experiences destined to form memories of a lifetime.

Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini has led the project over three years to deliver what will be the Company's most ambitious production to date. Under the direction of Director Neil Armfield and Conductor Pietari Inkinen, a massive cast will bring to life the magnificent four-opera event, in the year of its 200th anniversary.

The Melbourne Ring forms part of an international series of Ring Cycle productions, and is the only entirely new production.

Terracini, Artistic Director of Opera Australia, explains "this new production of the Ring Cycle has been a mammoth undertaking, spanning over three years.

Over 500 people at Opera Australia, are involved in making this happen. There are 405 performers including 94 singers, 34 actors and dancers, 127 orchestral players and 150 extras.

"Approximately 150 creatives, stage management, staff and crew are also involved behind the scenes.

"The Melbourne Ring will transform the State Theatre of Arts Centre, Melbourne with the newly expanded orchestra pit which will be experienced for the first time with the Ring Cycle - into a world of scheming gods, mortals and monsters."

Opera Australia Chief Executive Craig Hassall adds "this enormous project would not have been possible without the generous support of philanthropist Maureen and Tony Wheeler, and the State Government of Victoria through Victorian Major Events Corporation.

"Their generosity, and their shared vision of bringing the world to Melbourne for the Ring Cycle, has enabled this magnificent opera to come to the unique stage here at Arts Centre Melbourne, our venue partner.

"It's a significant moment in time for Opera Australia, and a wonderful time to be in Melbourne."

International singers including Terje Stensvold (Norway), Susan Bullock (UK), Richard Berkeley-Steele (UK) and Stefan Vinke (Germany) join the stellar Australian cast including Stuart Skelton, Daniel Sumegi, Miriam Gordon-Stewart, Jacqueline Dark, Jud Arthur, Graeme Macfarlane and Warwick Fyfe.

Spectacular set and stage craft by Robert Cousins, costumes by Alice Babidge, lighting by Damien Cooper and choreography by Kate Champion form integral parts of Neil Armfield's contemporary vision for Wagner's epic masterpiece. Striving to bring out the accessible, human themes of the complex opera work, Armfield's approach brings The Ring Cycle into the 21st century, drawing out the relatable themes of love, loss, struggles for power and self determination. Around them, fire burns, rhinemaidens seduce, dwarves and gods change shape and the yearning for the ring drives the world to destruction.

The lead up to the opening of the Melbourne Ring Festival began on Friday (15th November) with a parade from Arts Centre Melbourne to Federation Square. Named the 'Arrival of the Valkyries! ', the parade featured 200 performers including 60 musicians and 100 Opera Australia costumes led by eight Valkyries (characters from the Ring cycle) on horseback.

Introducing the wider program of events associated withe Melbourne Ring Festival, Terracini adds "the Melbourne Ring Festival is designed to engage with a broad range of people from opera aficionados who are in town to experience Opera Australia's new production of the Ring cycle, through to those just looking to be entertained in a creative and accessible way.

"There are special events, film and multimedia programs, talks and conversations, art installations and exhibitions and of course, great performances.

"Wagner's Ring cycle has inspired artists for 200 years and this year is no different"

For more information go to  http://www.melbourneringcycle.com.au