Click photo to enlarge
Evil dwarf, Alberich, tries to woo the goddesses who guard the gold. He is cruelly teased and dissed.

It's April already and the LA Opera's ambitious project of producing Richard Wagner's masterpiece Ring cycle is about to unfold -- as of Saturday night.

Tickets are available here. Below is the review for the first installment, 'Das Reinghold,' that ran in early March.



Any epic work of art that requires four separate installments, takes more than 28 years to create, causes decades of analysis, and, eventually, becomes a religiopolitical third rail is, of course,

"The Ring"
LA Opera's production of "The Ring" is magnificent and should lead to brisk sales of the second installment, "Die Walkure," in April. See that gold in the back? That's nothing compared to owning The Ring itself, as Wotan rubs it in (foreground).
a must-see when the LA Opera is involved.


'The Ring' is Richard Wagner's first of the four operas to grace the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion over this and next season. This 'Ring' sets the bar quite high, as a remarkably moving, lush and encompassing experience is laid before an appreciative audience.


The gods, giants and dwarves serve the simple, powerful story lines: redemptive love and corrupting power. The production is a masterful presentation of music, song and surreal imagery.


Sharp-tongued sirens guard the gold that would rule all the world -- and they do it in a really bitchy way, too. An evil dwarf trades his ability to love to get at the gold and then the gods step in to steal said gold to pay off the giants' who built Valhalla. Sort of a godly balloon mortgage payment.


There are, of course, other twists, but pitching the action forward (like the 11-foot-tall stage) is that it all takes place in a surreal, scary and dynamic fantasy world -- a world not unlike we imagine living in a three-dimensional Joan Miro painting would be like. Except this time, the music is doing the painting, according to Opera News.


The performances are nigh-on remarkable, both on stage and in the pit. Musically, the only wish we had was that we could hear more and more.


Tickets are still available for the remaining shows. The 'cheaper' seats in the balcony may actually be a boon because of the configuration of the stage and its action. So there's no excuse for not getting your culture on -- especially because of the rarity of these opera's being performed.


Finally, there is no intermission -- and you won't even notice unless you're slamming Chardonnays beforehand on the plaza. In which the whole 'painting with music' thing takes on a new dimension.



THE SECOND INSTALLMENT: 'DIE WALKURE'


Beginning April 4, 'Die Walkure', the most popular of all four of the operas, will begin its run at the Pavilion.


The gods ruled 'The Ring' but more human endeavors are at the heart of 'The Valkyrie.' The most memorable music is in this one, too. (If you must, refresh your memory with this animated presentation.)


A bonus on April 4 and April 19 is that LA Opera general director, and world famous tenor, Placido Domingo will perform.


Tickets are here and they will go fast.