Seattle Opera’s Epic Ring Cycle Coming August 2013

Seattle Vacation Rentals near Opera, McCaw Hall, The RingWhat is fifteen hours long, full of magic and drama, incest and thievery, giants, dwarfs, mortals and Valkyries? What story is as epic as Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings combined and has opera fans all over the country planning to attend a performance one year in advance. Seattle Opera’s signature event, Wagner’s legendary drama, The Ring, will be staged in August of 2013, and already THIS summer we are receiving booking inquires for the three cycles for NEXT year!


The titular Ring grants the power to rule the world, and was forged by a dwarf Alberich from stolen gold. The Ring then is stolen from Alberich by the Chief of the Gods, Wotan, who in turn is forced to give the Ring to giants. Wotan tries to get the Ring back, and this quest lasts three generations. His grandson, the mortal Siegfried, finally wins the Ring, but then dies at the hand of Alberich’s grandson. The final resolution has the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, who was Siegfried’s lover and aunt, returning the Ring to its rightful owners, the Rhine maidens from whom the gold was stolen in the first place.


Seattle Opera’s Ring was first staged in 2001 with great critical regard, and has been run again every four years to sold out performances. In 2013 the Opera will run the full opera three times. The four parts of the Ring cycle, Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung, with a total running time of about 15 hours, comprise a six night cycle. Das Rheingold and Die Walkure are done on nights one and two, the third night is a break, the forth night is Seigfriend, and then another break before the sixth and final night, and also the longest, Gotterdammerung.


Next year’s Ring will run on August 4, 5, 7, and 9th for cycle One, August 12, 13, 15 and 17th for cycle Two, and August 20, 21, 23 & 25th for the third and final cycle. If you are a fan of opera, this is a not-to-be-missed event. Tickets to the public go on sale in November at SeattleOpera.org. Seattle Oasis Vacation Rentals is conveniently located to McCaw Hall, less than a mile away. It makes a lovely walk on a warm Seattle summer day, or a quick cab ride.

Picture credit: Seattle Opera

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