The Making of the Centenary Ring – Pierre Boulez & Patrice Chéreau

A century after the first complete performance of Richard Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen, director Patrice Chéreau and conductor Pierre Boulez, in 1976, staged what was then the most controversial Ring production in Bayreuth Festival history. In Wagner’s self-designed Festspielhaus, the French duo changed how the Ring would be staged forever, much to the discontent of critics and audiences at the time. By the end of the last performance in 1980, however, the production had become a classic. Going behind the scenes of this production, this film is filled with footage of rehearsals, decision-making processes, preparations, interviews and festival history.

Soloists: 

Gwyneth Jones (Soprano), Wolfgang Wagner (Narrator), Friedelind Wagner (Narrator)

Conductor: 

Pierre Boulez