Wagner's Ring Cycle with Opera North 2016

(Daily Telegraph)

(The Times)

WAGN E R’S

R I N G CYC L E

Tuesday 28 June – Sunday 3 July 2016

‘One of the most enthralling Wagner performances of recent years’ (The Guardian)

#ringcycle

Opera North performs the four operas that together tell the story of Wagner’s epic music drama: The Ring.

Wagner creates a seductive world populated by gods, giants, dwarves and heroes caught between the conflicting claims of love and power.

Wagner tells the stories of these characters with music of unmatched vividness, music which gives us clues about their motives, their back stories and their destiny, music which always tells us the truth even when the characters don’t.

Ideal for anyone new to The Ring, this five-star production, which unfolded over four years between 2011 and 2014, reveals the full scale and splendour of Wagner’s magnificent conception in dramatic performances for the concert hall. Film projections on LED screens enhance the storytelling, providing an immersive, illuminating experience for Wagner addicts and newcomers alike.

Gillian Moore MBE Head of Classical Music, Southbank Centre

Performed in German with English Surtitles

‘I am breathless with admiration for Opera North’ (Daily Telegraph)

Das Rheingold Tuesday 28 June 2016, 7pm

Please note start time Yvonne Howard Fricka Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke Loge Michael Druiett Wotan Jo Pohlheim Alberich Giselle Allen Freia Ceri Williams Erda Jeni Bern Woglinde Madeleine Shaw Wellgunde Sarah Castle Flosshilde To be announced Froh Andrew Foster-Williams Donner Richard Roberts Mime James Creswell Fasolt Mats Almgren Fafner Richard Farnes conductor Peter Mumford concert staging, design concept, lighting & production designer Orchestra of Opera North ‘One

of the most enthralling Wagner performances of recent years’ (The Guardian) comes to Royal Festival Hall.

Our journey begins with the first of the four operas that make up the epic drama The Ring, Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold).

Performed in four scenes without a break, it follows a cursed magic ring that gives its bearer the power to rule the world... but only if they first renounce love. We meet Wotan, ruler of the gods, and his wife Fricka; Alberich, the evil dwarf who wants the ring at all costs; the forceful giants who capture Wotan’s sister-in-law and a magic helmet that makes the wearer change size and shape.

Running time 2 hours 40 minutes. No interval.

Royal Festival Hall , 7pm Premium seats £75* £60*, £45*, £35*, £25* Transaction fees may apply*

*Transaction fees may apply: £1.75 online, £2.75 over the phone.

No transaction fee for bookings made in person or for Southbank Centre Members and Supporters Circles.

Die Walküre Wednesday 29 June 2016, 5pm

Please note start time Alwyn Mellor Sieglinde Kelly Cae Hogan Brünnhilde To be announced Siegmund Béla Perencz Wotan Yvonne Howard Fricka James Creswell Hunding Giselle Allen, Sarah Castle, Fiona Kimm, Madeleine Shaw, Heather Shipp, Ceri Williams Valkyries Richard Farnes conductor Peter Mumford concert staging, design concept, lighting & production designer Orchestra of Opera North The story continues with Die Walküre (The Valkyrie).

This opera contains some of Wagner’s most famous, vivid and heartbreakingly beautiful music – including the rousing Ride of the Valkyries.

‘The

chief medium of this alchemy was the conductor Richard Farnes’ (The Daily Telegraph)

Wotan, king of the gods, strives to undo the curse of the ring. How? By fathering a pure-of-heart hero by a mortal woman. But he finds himself conflicted as events spin out of control and his offspring defy his will.

‘A wonder! A wonder!’ (Franz Liszt) Running time 5 hours 20 minutes including two intervals.

Act 1 lasts 1 hour 10 minutes, followed by an interval of 20 minutes.

Act 2 lasts 1 hour 35 minutes, followed by an interval of 1 hour.

Act 3 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes.

Royal Festival Hall, 5pm Premium seats £75* £60*, £45*, £35*, £25* Transaction fees may apply*

Experience the full Ring Cycle from just £90* Book our special subscription package. See back page for details. tickets 0844 847 9910 southbankcentre.co.uk/ringcycle

‘a tremendous achievement’ (Daily Telegraph)

Siegfried

Götterdämmerung

Friday 1 July 2016 , 5pm

Sunday 3 July 2016, 3pm

Please note start time

Please note start time

Kelly Cae Hogan Brünnhilde To be announced Siegfried Richard Roberts Mime Béla Perencz The Wanderer To be announced Alberich Mats Almgren Fafner Jeni Bern Voice of the Forest Bird Ceri Williams Erda Richard Farnes conductor Peter Mumford concert staging, design concept, lighting & production designer Orchestra of Opera North

Alwyn Mellor Brünnhilde To be announced Siegfried Mats Almgren Hagen Giselle Allen Gutrune Andrew Foster-Williams Gunther Jo Polheim Alberich Heather Shipp Waltraute Fiona Kimm First Norn Yvonne Howard Second Norn Lee Bisset Third Norn Jeni Bern Woglinde Madeleine Shaw Wellgunde Sarah Castle Flosshilde Richard Farnes conductor Peter Mumford concert staging, design concept, lighting & production designer Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North

The third instalment of Wagner’s epic Ring cycle.

Our fairytale reaches new heights of heroism and passion – and Wagner’s magical score rises to the challenge to create unparalleled orchestral story telling.

The daring hero Siegfried, the mortal grandson of Wotan, king of the gods, seeks ever more dangerous adventures. He slays a dragon, confronts the gods and braves the fire surrounding the sleeping maiden, Brünnhilde.

But this act awakens his passion. Overwhelmed by her beauty, Siegfried engages Brünnhilde in a love duet that blazes with erotic intensity.

Running time 5 hours 15 minutes including two intervals.

Act 1 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, followed by an interval of 20 minutes.

Act 2 lasts 1 hour and 10 minutes, followed by an interval of 1 hour.

Act 3 lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Royal Festival Hall, 5pm Premium seats £75* £60*, £45*, £35*, £25* Transaction fees may apply*

Wagner’s monumental musical drama reaches its overwhelming conclusion with Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods).

Siegfried, our hero and the mortal grandson of Wotan, king of the gods, falls amongst enemies.

The cursed ring causes more problems, true love is betrayed and the gods themselves confront the end of the world, depicted with blazing, intense, all-encompassing music.

Running time 6 hours including two intervals.

Act 1 lasts 2 hours, followed by an interval of 1 hour.

Act 2 lasts 1 hour 10 minutes, followed by an interval of 20 minutes.

Act 3 lasts 1 hour 20 minutes.

Royal Festival Hall , 3pm Premium seats £75* £60*, £45*, £35*, £25* Transaction fees may apply*

How to book

Visitor Information

SUBSCRIPTION

ACCESS

Get 10% off the lowest ticket price and experience Wagner’s complete Ring cycle for just £90* Ticket prices for the full cycle: Premium seats £300 £240, £180, £140, £90* Individual performances: Premium seats £75* £60, £45, £35, £25* To book tickets or for the full Ring cycle subscription visit: southbankcentre.co.uk/ringcycle* or call 0844 847 9910* 9am – 8pm (daily) Royal Festival Hall Ticket Office 10am – 8pm (daily) * Transaction fees apply: £1.75 online, £2.75 over the phone.

No transaction fees for Southbank Centre Members and Supporters Circles.

GROUP DISCOUNTS 20% discount for groups of ten or more.

Call 0844 875 0070 (Not available on Premium Seats)

Southbank Centre is accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, visit southbankcentre.co.uk/ access, call us on 0844 847 9910 or fax 020 7921 0607 TRANSPORT Waterloo and Embankment Southbank Centre Car Parks: – Belvedere Road (7am – 1am) – Hayward Gallery (7am – 1am)

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Please see our website for full details southbankcentre.co.uk/shop-eat-drink EXPERIENCE MORE WITH MEMBERSHIP

CONCESSIONS A limited allocation of half-price tickets is available for recipients of Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, those aged 16 and under and full-time students. Appropriate cards to be shown and discounts cannot be combined.

‘Beg, borrow, or be like Wotan and steal a ticket for this show’ (The Times)

Get priority booking on all concerts, series and festivals at Southbank Centre. Enjoy relaxing in your own Members’ bar with stunning views. Get discounts across the Centre, plus much more.

For more information, visit southbankcentre.co.uk/membership or call 0844 875 0071.

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Contact 020 7921 0937 or supportus@southbankcentre.co.uk

Images © Opera North