Richard Wagner
« Surrender the ring! No right to it! » – What Wotan sings at the beginning of the fourth scene of Wagner’s Rheingold is becoming reality in Berlin. According to German press reports, both opera houses, Deutsche Oper and Staatsoper, plan a new Ring cycle at the same time. « This is not possible », says Dietmar Schwarz, the intendant of Deutsche Oper, who announced already last year a Ring with Donald Runnicles and stage director Stefan Herheim. However, the Staatsoper also plans a Ring, with Daniel Barenboim and Dmitri Tcherniakov. According to the rules of the foundation which governs both opera houses, such a similar programming is not possible. So, who will get his new Ring, Runnicles or Barenboim? The fight will be a tough one…
