Full cycle confirmed for the stage

MELBOURNE Opera will bring its new production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle in full to Ulumbarra Theatre next year.

After announcing the five-hour Die Walküre will hit the Bendigo stage at the end of February, MO announced on Monday that the full critically acclaimed performance will follow suit.

City of Greater Bendigo mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said this is the first time the $5 million production will visit regional Australia.

“We are very excited to have been approached by Melbourne Opera to stage not only one of the most ambitious opera productions ever seen in Australia, but also rarely performed internationally because of its complexities and mammoth size in production terms,” she said.

“Wagner’s Ring Cycle is an epic $5 million production with a huge cast and crew of hundreds of Australian singers, musicians, creatives and technicians. Such a production has rarely been attempted in Australia, with only five productions spanning more than a century.

“Bendigo’s Ring Cycle will be performed at our magnificent 900-seat Ulumbarra Theatre which was chosen because it is big enough to hold the show’s immense scenery set.”

Fans of the show are known to travel the world to witness the 15-hour “epic journey”, usually held over four nights and consisting of individual operas Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegried and Götterdämmerung.

“At Ulumbarra, the audience will experience the Ring Cycle like never before as the theatre is so well designed that every seat is the best seat in the house, giving audiences access to a truly unique and intimate performance, immersed in the epic production featuring gods, giants, dragons and a 130-piece orchestra,” Cr Metcalf said.

“It is likely that each Ring Cycle will be performed over 10 days, encouraging longer stays which is fantastic news for our hotel accommodation, retail and hospitality sectors.”

No stranger to blockbuster shows, Ulumbarra Theatre has previously hosted Melbourne Opera productions of Das Rheingold and Fidelio.

Tickets are expected to go on sale via Bendigo Venues and Events in the next few weeks.