Hour-long intervals are scheduled at several points in the marathon, but succor is at hand -- holders of NT$2,000 tickets get free entry to VIP cocktail parties sponsored by The One and Veuve Clicquot during the intermissions on Sept. 16, 22, 24 and 28. There is no intermission on the opening evening, Sept. 14, which lasts an uninterrupted two hours and 35 minutes.
But what will it look like? In charge of the staging will be Li Huan-Hsiung (Minguel), the Taipei theater-director who was responsible for the production of Bellini's Norma last year in Chien Wen-pin's ongoing series of operas new to Taiwan. That production was somewhat minimalist, but generally effective despite some perplexing features.
"I think you'll see a totally different style from Minguel," said Chien. "Even though the space he's got for these four nights is just a little more than nothing." As for the instrumentalists, orchestral rehearsals began back in February, and they're set to continue until the day the guest singers arrive, Chien added.
Altogether this is going to be a stupendous as well as a history-making event to open the orchestra's anniversary 2006-2007 season. Beijing staged a single Ring cycle last summer in its Music Festival but that was imported in its entirety from Nuremberg, Germany. With this homegrown Ring, then, Taiwan can truly claim a first, and indeed to be making history.
-- BRADLEY WINTERTON
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