A Shining Ring, But Most Will Never See It

The Adelaide Ring is beginning its second weeklong run of Wagner’s four massive operas, and by all accounts, this is a Ring for the ages, both musically and visually. So how can it be possible that no audiovisual record is being made of its existence? Yes, a complete CD set is planned, but opera (particularly Wagner) is more than just notes, and needs the impact of its staging to be fully appreciated. The sad truth seems to be that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s director of television has no use for opera, and has declined all offers to broadcast or even record it.