San Francisco Opera today announced details of the 2011 Ring Festival, a Bay Area-wide celebration in conjunction with the Company’s Summer 2011 presentation of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), the epic four-opera cycle widely considered one of the greatest works ever conceived for the operatic stage. A diverse array of cultural and educational institutions have partnered with San Francisco Opera to present lectures and symposia, exhibits, musical performances, film screenings and other events throughout the Bay Area for audiences who desire to connect with the work in new and compelling ways. The festival also provides opportunities for patrons to interact with fellow Ring cycle subscribers, both those new to the work and those who have experienced it before.
“The magnitude of the Ring and the extraordinary legacy of Richard Wagner continues to inspire greater study and understanding for our enrichment and appreciation,” said San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley. “I’m very proud that so many educational, community and cultural organizations have agreed to present Ring related programs that are innovative, bold, sensitive, complex and timely. I believe San Francisco Opera’s Ring ancillary partners will contribute greatly to our comprehension and enjoyment of this timeless masterpiece.”
Ring Festival partners include the Asian Art Museum; California Academy of Sciences; Commonwealth Club; Classical 102.1 KDFC; Contemporary Jewish Museum; Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning at the University of San Francisco; Goethe-Institute; Humanities West; Jewish Community Center of San Francisco; Los Medanos College; Mills College; Museum of Performance & Design; Opera Frontier; OPERA America; Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley; San Francisco Conservatory of Music; St. Mary’s Cathedral; University of San Francisco: The Center for the Pacific Rim; San Francisco Opera Center; Stanford University and Stanford Lively Arts; and the Wagner Society of Northern California. Each organization will provide its own unique point of view on the Ring, providing opportunities to learn more about Wagner’s masterpiece and explore a fascinating spectrum of related issues. In addition, San Francisco Opera will present three Ring symposia as well as pre-opera talks prior to each performance and San Francisco Opera Guild will present preview lectures and discussions throughout the Bay Area. Festival events will run prior to and concurrently throughout each cycle. Visit sfopera for on-going festival updates and additional information.