wagner

Ring Cycle Prompts Opera Loan

Filed under: Events

Wagner's Ring Cycle has strained many an opera company's budget. Last year the Washinton National Opera postponed its performances of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" due to the economic climate. This year, a $32-million production of Richard Wagner's "Ring" Cycle is being cited as a cause for the financial problems that have befallen the Los Angeles Opera. The opera company recently received a $14-million emergency loan from Los Angeles County designed to keep it going until the middle of next year. The LA Times reports that the opera company is $20 million in debt and needed the money in order to keep going. County supervisors voted to approve the loan partially over a concern that the failure of the L.A. Opera could hurt the county-owned Music Center. The Los Angeles Opera uses the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for its performances.

According to the LA Times article a group of opera trustees have pledged $30 million to keep the company going and so the loan will gradually be repaid as the money comes in. The four-part Ring cycle will be staged in its entirety May 29 to June 26 as part of a regional arts festival. So far about a third of the 9,000 four-opera subscriptions for the cycle have been sold. The opera can take around 15 hours to perform and the epic style and heavy tone can some put off some opera neophytes but for dedicated fans the Ring cycle is a must-attend event. Other operas may sell more tickets but for many opera houses the Ring cycle is a defining performance even if it is a budget buster.

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Tags: dorothy chandler pavilion, DorothyChandlerPavilion, los angeles, los angeles opera, LosAngeles, LosAngelesOpera, opera, ring cycle, RingCycle, wagner

More Tough Times For Opera: Ring Cycle Deemed Too Expensive

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

It's a tough time to be an opera company. I recently mentioned the closing of Opera Pacific in California's Orange County, now the Washington Post reports that the Washington National Opera has postponed its performances of Wagner's "Ring" cycle until the economic climate improves. Famed opera singer Plácido Domingo, the company's general director, released a statement announcing that the decision was motivated by "the dramatic changes in the nation's economy." The Ring cycle consists of four long operas and was to be a highlight of the 2009-10 season. The cost of showing the four different operas on four consecutive nights often keeps companies away from performing Wagner's mighty work. Often opera companies put on one of the operas per season before doing the whole cycle. The Washington National Opera has already put on the first two and the third was postponed for a year due to budget cuts and will debut in May 2009. The final opera, "Götterdämmerung" will be offered in two performances with sets or costumes which should help the opera company save between $5 million and $6 million.

The Washington Post article revealed that some other arts organizations in the area are also considering trimming back their schedules. Others are trying to cut expenses at the same time they are also cutting ticket prices to lure in customers. Arts organizations in general get much of their attendance and donations from the older generations, the same people who might now be too worried about their retirement funds to support the arts.

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Tags: opera, placido domingo, PlacidoDomingo, ring cycle, RingCycle, wagner