Wagner's complete Ring Cycle will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 this month, recorded at London's Royal Opera House in 2018.
Over four evenings, BBC Radio 3 will broadcast all 18 hours of Wagner's epic opera cycle, with a cast including Nina Stemme as Brünnhilde, John Lundgren as Wotan and Sarah Connolly as Fricka, performing alongside the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and music director Antonio Pappano. Tom Service will introduce each opera – Das Rhinegold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung – from when they were last staged at the Opera House in Keith Warner's critically acclaimed production.
Die Walküre, the second of these four operas, has since been released on DVD, which was awarded a five-star review by BBC Music Magazine. You can buy it from Amazon, Hive, WH Smith and Sheet Music Plus.
In preparation for the broadcast of The Ring Cycle, Radio 3 will also present Melissa Murray's The Last of the Volsungs, a dramatisation of the Icelandic saga about the origin and decline of the Völsung clan. It was this story that inspired Wagner to write the operas that make up The Ring Cycle. The Last of the Volsungs will be presented as part of the Drama on 3 slot on Sunday 14 February.
All programmes involved will be available on BBC Sounds for 30 days after their initial broadcast. Full listing information below.
The Ring Cycle will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 February.
Sunday 14 February Drama on 3: The Last of the Volsungs 7.30-9pm
Sigurd: David Sturzaker Regin: David Schofield Gunnar: Carl Prekopp Hod: Gerard McDermott Gudrun: Lyndsey Marshal Brynhild: Abbie Andrews Sadhbh: Isabella Inchbald Arvid: Clive Hayward Alf: Rupert Holliday-Evans Hjordis: Kath Weare Warriors: Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Gary Duncan, Philip Bretherton
Wednesday 17 February Opera on 3: Das Rheingold 7-10pm
Wotan: John Lundgren (Baritone) Alberich: Johannes-Martin Kranzle (Baritone) Loge: Alan Oke (Tenor) Erda: Wiebke Lehmkuhl (Contralto) Fricka: Sarah Connolly (Mezzo-soprano) Freia: Lise Davidsen (Soprano) Donner: Markus Eiche (Baritone) Froh: Andrew Staples (Tenor) Mime: Gerhard Siegel (Tenor) Fasolt: Gunther Groissbock (Bass) Fafner: Brindley Sherratt (Bass) Woglinde: Lauren Fagan (Soprano) Wellgunde: Christina Bock (Mezzo-soprano) Flosshilde: Angela Simkin (Mezzo-soprano) Royal Opera House Orchestra Antonio Pappano (Conductor)
Thursday 18 February Opera on 3: Die Walküre 7-10pm
Siegmund: Stuart Skelton (tenor) Sieglinde: Emily Magee (soprano) Hunding: Ain Anger (bass) Wotan: John Lundgren (baritone) Brünnhilde: Nina Stemme (soprano) Fricka: Sarah Connolly (soprano) Gerhilde: Alwyn Mellor (soprano) Ortlinde: Lise Davidsen (soprano) Waltraute: Kai Rüütel (soprano) Schwertleite: Claudia Huckle (contralto) Helmwige: Maida Hundeling (soprano) Siegrune: Catherine Carby (mezzo-soprano) Grimgerde: Monika-Evelin Liiv (mezzo-soprano) Rossweisse: Emma Carrington (mezzo-soprano) Royal Opera House Orchestra Antonio Pappano (conductor)
Friday 19 February Opera on 3: Siegfried 7-10pm
Siegfried: Stefan Vinke (Tenor) Brünnhilde: Nina Stemme (Soprano) Mime: Gerhard Siegel (Tenor) Wanderer: John Lundgren (Baritone) Alberich: Johannes Martin Kränzle (Baritone) Fafner: Brindley Sherratt (Bass) Erda: Wiebke Lehmkuhl (Contralto) Woodbird: Heather Engebretson (Soprano) Royal Opera House Orchestra Antonio Pappano (Conductor)
Saturday 20 February Opera on 3: Götterdämmerung 7-10.15pm
Brünnhilde: Nina Stemme (soprano) Siegfried: Stefan Vinke (tenor) Alberich: Johannes Martin Kränzle (baritone) Gunther: Markus Butter (baritone) Gutrune: Emily Magee (soprano) Hagen: Stephen Milling (bass) Waltraute: Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano) First Norn: Claudia Huckle (contralto) Second Norn: Irmgard Vilsmaier (soprano) Third Norn: Lise Davidsen (soprano) Woglinde: Lauren Fagan (soprano) Weilgunde: Rachael Lloyd (mezzo-soprano) Flosshilde: Angela Simkin (mezzo-soprano) Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Antonio Pappano (conductor)
Lead image: Stuart Skelton as Siegmund and Emily Magee as Sieglinde in Die Walküre, The Royal Opera ©2018 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper
