A groundbreaking new production of Richard Wagner’s Das Rheingold will be coming to the Opéra de Monte-Carlo in February as visionary director Davide Livermore presents his bold interpretation of this iconic masterpiece, combining innovative visuals with a historically informed musical approach conducted by Gianluca Capuano.
Das Rheingold is one of four pieces in Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle, and chronicles the theft of the Rhine gold by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich. The cursed gold, transformed into a ring, triggers a cycle of greed, betrayal and divine intervention. The story follows the gods Wotan and Loge as they scheme to outwit Alberich and claim the treasure, only to pass its curse on to the giants they seek to pay for building their fortress.
This new staging by Livermore seeks to bring to life Wagner’s mythic tale of gods, giants and accursed treasure by capturing the opera’s grandeur while introducing audiences to a revolutionary sound. Enter Conductor Gianluca Capuano, who will be recreating Wagner’s authentic and original sound by using period instruments such as gut strings and early wind instruments, played by Les Musiciens du Prince.
“Our sound will be transparent, maybe more coarse, but radically different from the monumental Wagner we have been used to during the past hundred years,” Capuano explains.
The singers are also set to explore Wagner’s original vocal demands, blending declamation and cantabile lines in a way that reflects the composer’s initial ideas.
It all makes for an incredibly groundbreaking series of world premiere performances, blending the best of old and new. There will be four separate opportunities to witness the spectacle on 19th, 21st, 23rd and 25th February. The opening night will be a gala performance.
Tickets for Das Rheingold are now available here.
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Photo credit: Eugenio Pini / Opéra de Monte-Carlo