Der Ring des Nibelungen / The Ring of the Nibelung
Ring Festival 2003 & 2004
Libretto & Music, Richard Wagner

The Wagner's Ring in Baden-Baden, Germany

Valery Gergiev and the entire ensemble of the Mariinsky Theater will set off for a very special adventure at Christmas 2003 & January 04. For the first time, a "Ring-Cycle" produced in Russia with the music of Richard Wagner will be performed in a German opera house, the largest opera house in Germany, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden.

The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden features Wagner's brilliant operas with the magnificent maestro Valery Gergiev and his ensemble. Here, in the spa city which is rich in tradition and where important emperors of the 19th century enjoyed spending their vacation, the Russian culture has a long tradition. Tsars traveled to Baden-Baden for recreation purposes and they were accompanied by musicians, authors and many prominent people. Dostojewski and Turgenjew lived in Baden-Baden for quite a long period, and it is here where Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt sought for relaxation and inspiration and met the Russian Bohemia.

The most important Russian opera ensemble from St. Petersburg now realizes a part of Richard Wagner's dream. Prior to leaving for Bayreuth to build his festival theater, Wagner had the same plan for Baden-Baden. Now, his "Ring" is featured for the first time in the capital of culture and wellness in the Black Forest and the whole music world is watching with excitement. The "Ring" in Baden-Baden is an adventure with a special flair.

The RING Cycle
New Production
25 – 30 december 2003 / 22 – 27 january 2004
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden

Valery Gergiev, conductor
Marriinsky's Solistes, Choir and Orchestra

- The Rheingold – 25 dec / 22 jan

Wotan - Mikhail Kit
Alberich - Viktor Chernomortsev
Loge - Nikolai Gassiev
Freia - Tatiana. Borodina
Fricka- Svetlana Volkova
Mime- Vladimir Felenchak
Woglinda- Margarita Alaverdian
Wellgunde- Lia Shevtsova
Flosshilde-Nadezhda Serdiuk
Fasolt- Evgeny Nikitin
Fafner- Mikhail Petrenko
Donner- Fedor Mozhaev
Froh- Evgeny Akimov
Erda- Zlata Bulycheva

- The Walkyrie – 26 dec / 23 jan

Wotan- Vladimir Vaneev
Hunding- Gennady Bezzubenkov
Siegmund- Oleg Balashov
Siegliende - Mlada Khudolei
Fricka- Svetlana Volkova
Brunhilde- Olga Savova
Helmwiege- Margarita Alaverdian, Tatiana Kravtsova
Gerhilde- Elena Lasovskaia, Alla Perchikova
Ortlinde- Liudmila Kasianenko, Irina Vasilieva
Rossweisse- Liubov Sokolova, Lia Shevtsova
Siegrune- Nadezhda Vasilieva, Olga Stronskaia
Waltraute- Nadezhda Serdiuk, Natalia Evstafieva
Grimherde- Elena Sommer, Elena Vitman
Schwertleite- Liudmila Kanunikova, Olga Kitchenko

- Siegfried – 28 dec / 25 jan

Siegfried- Leonid Zakhozhaev
Wanderer- Mikahil Kit
Mime- Vladimir Felenchak
Alberich- Viktor Chernomortsev
Faffner- Mikhail Petrenko
Erda - Zlata Bulycheva
Brunhilde- Milana Butaeva
Knabe- Zhanna Dombrovskaia

Twilight of the Gods – 30 dec / 27 jan

Siegfried- Viktor Lutsiuk
Gunther- Evgeny Nikitin
Alberich- Viktor Chernomortsev
Hagen- Fedor Kuznetsov
Brunhilde- Olga Sergeeva
Waltraud- Olga Savova
Gutrune- Valeria Stenkina
Woglinda- Margarita Alaverdian
Wellgunda - Lia Shevtsova
Flosshilde - Nadezhda Serdiuk
Erste Norne- Liudmila Kanunikova
Zweite Norne- Svetlana Volkova
Dritte Norne- Tatiana Kravtosva

www.festspielhaus.de