CANCELLED: Open Dress Rehearsal: Peking Opera Meets »The Ring of the Nibelung«

Richard Wagner in the Middle Kingdom? A synthesis of » The Ring of the Nibelung« and exotic Peking opera? Sounds absurd, but it does make sense. After all, every culture has its myths and archetypes with universal validity: heroes and villains, gods and royalty, love and betrayal. In Anna Peschke’s and Liu Dake’s spectacular production in the Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall, the struggle for power acquires new meanings and interpretations – especially so in view of explosive topics such as climate change, economic growth and China’s expansion on the »New Silk Road«.

In the music of the Uzbek composer Aziza Sadikova and Qiu Xiaobo, the Nibelung libretto is interpreted anew in a Chinese adaptation. The production uses traditional Chinese instruments such as the mouth organ sheng and the violin-like erhu, as well as typical Bayreuth representatives such as the Wagner tuba – after all, there are numerous musical cross-links and parallels, with themes that feature prominently in both Wagner and Peking opera.