>I know nothing about opera. Recently, however, I listened to Radio Lab‘s podcast on Richard Wagner’s ring cycle, and how some people go crazy for the thing, and how truly brilliant the whole thing is. Somehow it hooked me and I needed to find out more.
As performed in 1990 by The Metropolitan Opera
I checked out the first part, Das Rheingold, of this multi-part massive opera. My daughter and I are slowly working through it and let me tell you… wow! I can see why people go crazy for the ring cycle. For all his faults Wagner must have been a genius. Of course you already knew that.
Wagner emanating.
I mean, just look at those brows! And that forehead! They are operatic all by themselves.
And for all the craziness of opera it has its appeal. Years ago I saw the opera’s La bohème and Carmen, both of which I loved. I’m realizing I need to educate myself about opera and see a lot more. Maybe I too shall become crazy for opera!
pilgrimakimbo 
>I’ve always meant to go through the Ring Cycle on a serious level but never got around to it. I did however go through his Tristan und Isolde, which is pretty amazing as well. If you can find yourself a good vocal score (piano reduction of the orchestration and all the vocal parts) then I highly recommend going through it when listening to it. For me, I was able to catch a lot more of what Wagner was doing musically.
>Filmbo, thanks for the tip. I will check that out. One thing of which I am convinced: making the effort to get to know great works of art really pays off.
>I couldn’t agree more. The reward at the end is immeasurable.
The only thing that really irritates me is when modern stagings of Wagner operas feature motorcycles, or teen gangs, or bobble-head figures. Why not do them as orginally cast?