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Wagner's Dream: The Making of the Metropolitan Opera's Der Ring des Nibelungen
What happens when the world’s premiere opera company decides to undertake the ultimate operatic challenge—a new production of Richard Wagner’s monumental four-part saga The Ring of the Nibelung? This engrossing film by Susan Froemke and Bob Eisenhardt follows the creation of what General Manager Peter Gelb called “the most ambitious production the Met has ever attempted.” And in true theatrical tradition the tale of getting Robert Lepage’s epic production on stage offers as much nail-biting drama as the operas themselves. With unprecedented access to everyone involved, this film is a rare, honest look at the stupendous undertaking, from the first concepts to the tension-filled actual performances. It shows the virtual army involved in bringing Wagner’s vision to life: from the visionaries who dared tackle the impossible to the dozens of black-clad stage hands crouched behind the gargantuan set to move it with split-section timing; from the world-class singers facing unique staging challenges to administrators who had to cope with unexpected personnel crises that threatened to derail the entire project. Viewers share the frustration of the artists when a very public glitch derails a performance. But there is also the euphoria of the daunting quest that ends triumphantly.