Wales Millennium Centre's Kirov 'Ring' Exclusive : 30.11 – 3.12. 2006 (BK)

 

Das Rheingold

 

Wales Millennium Centre will host the only UK performances of Wagner’s Ring  by the Mariinsky Theatre (formerly the Kirov Opera) at the end of 2006. All four operas, presented over four consecutive nights, will be conducted by the Mariinsky’s artistic and general director, Valery Gergiev.

Over 1,700 people each night can be seated in the Centre’s impressive Donald Gordon Theatre which has received acclaim for its acoustic qualities. The cycle, all of it designed by George Tsypin, will be entirely cast from within the Mariinsky ensemble, a feat which would be difficult for virtually most other companies due to the heavy demands on the singers.

Wales Millennium Centre expects to draw in Wagner enthusiasts from across the world, putting it firmly on the international opera map, not only as Welsh National Opera's home, but also as host to the world’s major companies.

 

 

Götterdämmering

Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of Wales Millennium Centre said: “The performance of the Mariinsky Theatre’s Ring Cycle as a UK exclusive represents a very important landmark for WMC - it is without doubt one of the highlights of our year and reinforces our position as a major player in opera and in the arts in general. WMC is an opera house capable of attracting the very best artistic ensembles in the world.

 

‘It is our pleasure to host the Mariinsky Theatre once again, following the success of the Kirov Ballet programme here last April. It’s a testament to the flourishing relationship between the Mariinsky companies and ourselves which began when Valery Gergiev visited the Centre during its construction phase.

The Mariinsky Ring made history at its St Petersburg premiere in 2003 on the occasion of the city's 300th anniversary. It was the first Ring to be produced by a Russian opera company since 1914, and the first sung within Russia in German. The Mariinsky Theatre was also the first foreign company ever to perform the Ring on German soil, in Baden Baden in 2004 and will be part of the opening celebrations of the new Orange County Performing Arts Centre in October before coming to Cardiff. In the summer of 2007,  the cycle will be presented at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York as part of the Lincoln Centre Festival and afterwards in Beijing.

 

Tickets for the full Ring Cycle go on sale on 27 March, and are priced from £120-£500 for the cycle. Also available are ‘superseats’ which will include additional benefits including champagne receptions.

 

 

Bill Kenny


Pictures © Natasha Razina


For further information and to buy tickets: visit the WMC website at or call the ticket office on 08700 402 000. Tickets will go on sale from 27 March 2006.

 

 

For more press information about the Mariinsky’s Ring Cycle at WMC please contact:  Caroline Leech, Ring Cycle PR Manager for Wales Millennium Centre  on 07831 324303 or email caroline.leech@ntlworld.com

 

For more information about the Wales Millennium Centre as a tourist destination, please contact: Natasha Behrouz or Sally Hawkins at The Communication Group: 020 76301411

 

Emails: nbehrouz@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk or shawkins@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk