The Grand Finale Of HK Phil's Journey Through Wagner's Epic Ring Cycle: Part IV Götterdämmerung

The internationally and locally acclaimed performance of Wagner's complete Ring Cycle given by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), reaches its fourth and last part - Götterdämmerung - on 18 and 21 January 2018 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Once again, the HK Phil's Music Director Jaap van Zweden conducts the performances and is joined by a cast of world-renowned Wagnerian singers and outstanding choruses.

Michelle DeYoung - in Das Rheingold in 2015 and Die Walküre in 2016 - returns for this opera in the role of Waltraute. Other great Wagnerian singers in the cast are Daniel Brenna as Siegfried, Gun-Brit Barkmin as Brünnhilde, Shenyang as Gunther, Amanda Majeski as Gutrune, Peter Kálmán as Alberich and Eric Halfvarson as Hagen.

Götterdämmerung is the only part of the Ring Cycle to include a chorus. Eberhard Friedrich, the Chorus Master of the Bayreuth Festival and the Hamburg State Opera, will lead the Bamberg Symphony Chorus, the State Choir Latvija, and members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus in these performances.

The first-ever opera-in-concert performance of Wagner's epic Ring Cycle in Hong Kong, this four-year journey is also the first to be recorded and released on CD by an orchestra from Hong Kong or Mainland China. Released on the Naxos label, the previous parts have been a huge success with audiences and critics alike. The live recordings of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Wagner's Ring Cycle Parts one Das Rheingold, two Die Walküre and three Siegfried are now available on CD/Blu-Ray in local record stores and at our Götterdämmerung opera-in-concerts.

The final part of the Ring is a thrilling and breath-taking musical spectacle. The huge orchestra, the all-star Wagnerian cast, and the gigantic chorus all promise a magnificent culmination to this once-in-a-lifetime event for the Hong Kong audience.

Performance length is approximately 6 hours including two intervals. Ticket holders are welcome to pre-order refreshments for the concert intervals at shop.hkphil.org before 9 Jan 2018.

Jaap Essentials: The Ring Cycle Part 4: Götterdämmerung will be held on 18 January 2018 (Thu) at 6PM & 21 January 2018 (Sun) at 3PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Ticket prices: HK1,080, $880, $580, $380 are now available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit www.hkphil.org

To celebrate the final stage of the epic journey of the Ring, the HK Phil has prepared a series of Ring activities for fans to savour in and beyond the concert!

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG DISCOVERY DAY

13 JAN 2018 (Sat)

Hong Kong Cultural Centre

The Discovery Day provides activities to deepen your exploration of the Ring. The highlight of the day is Symposium: Inside Götterdämmerung held by Sue Elliott (The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada), an expert of Wagner's works. Audiences can also enjoy an open rehearsal, a demonstration of Wagnerian musical instruments, an exhibition and more.

Admission is free but registration is necessary for some activities.

Details: www.hkphil.org/ring2018events

A GUIDE THROUGH THE RING

Join us for an extensive and fun guide through Wagner's mammoth opera cycle, including an interactive Facebook Live with Wagner experts and a podcast with Sue Elliott, all on our Facebook! Follow us on www.facebook.com/HKPhil.

Online PODCAST will be available in Jan 2018 at www.hkphil.org/ring2018podcast

HK PHIL COMPOSERS WORKSHOP - BEYOND THE RING

JAN - MAR 2018

A composer workshop for emerging composers! Selected candidates will participate in a series of activities and have the HK Phil rehearse their work at a public workshop.

Application deadline: 15 DEC 2017 (Fri)

Details: www.hkphil.org/composersworkshop2018

VOCAL MASTERCLASS

JAN 2018

Masterclass by the main cast from Götterdämmerung.

Details: www.hkphil.org/ring2018events

THE NIBELUNGS - KRIEMHILD'S REVENGE FILM SCREENING

(Restored version, Premiere in Hong Kong)

Goethe-Institut Hongkong Presents

14 JAN 2018 (Sun), 2:50pm

UA Cine Times

Tickets available now

www.uacinemas.com.hk

The third part of the Ring Cycle - Siegfried - ended with our hero, Siegfried, who had taken the Ring from the giants, rescuing Brünnhilde from a mountaintop where she had been surrounded by a wall of fire, Götterdämmerung begins with the three Norns weaving the rope of Destiny, singing of the future and predicting the fall of the gods. Siegfried and Brünnhilde declare their mutual love before Siegfried takes off in search of new adventures. He comes across the Hall of the Gibichungs where Gunther and his sister, Gutrune, plot to break Siegfried from Brünnhilde's love and administer a love potion to divert their affections to the two Gibichungs. As the gods, humans and dwarfs fight over the Ring of Power, Siegfried and Brunnhilde find an unexpected turn in their fates. At the end, the great hall of the gods, Valhalla, is destroyed and the race of gods is no more.
Artists

Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full biography]

Jaap van Zweden has risen rapidly in the past decade to become one of today's most distinguished conductors. Starting with the 2018/19 season, he will be the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. He has been the Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2008, and the Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since 2012. Van Zweden was named Musical America's 2012 Conductor of the Year. Born in Amsterdam, van Zweden was the youngest ever concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He began his conducting career in 1995.

Gun-Brit Barkmin, as Brünnhilde [full biography]

The German-born soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin is noted for her exciting portrayals of some of opera's most complex leading ladies and has a strong association with the repertoire of Richard Strauss including Salome, Chrysothemis (Elektra) and Ariadne (Ariadne auf Naxos). Boasting an impressively diverse repertoire, she has appeared as Jen?fa at Komische Oper Berlin, Regan in Reimann's Lear at Salzburg Festival, and Elena in the world premiere of Sotelo's El Público at Teatro Real Madrid.

Daniel Brenna, as Siegfried [full biography]

American tenor Daniel Brenna is considered one of the youngest and most convincing Siegfrieds around. His Siegfried has been much celebrated at the Washington National Opera, Longborough Festival Opera, Stuttgart State Opera, the Wagner Days Budapest and the Odense Philharmonic Orchestra. Brenna made his successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera House as Alwa in Alban Berg's Lulu in 2015 and returned as Laca in Jen?fa in 2016.

ShenYang, as Gunther [full biography]

Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang is celebrated for his distinguished artistry on the world's eminent concert and opera stages. He has performed in many operas' leading roles including The Magic Flute at the Metropolitan Opera and a new production of Don Giovanni conducted by Louis Langrée. His dedication to the great concert repertoire has yielded acclaimed performances with Yu Long and both the China Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony orchestras, as well as Edo de Waart and the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Eric Halfvarson, as Hagen [full biography]

Internationally celebrated American bass Eric Halfvarson is one of today's foremost interpreters of many of the darkest Verdi and Wagner roles. A regular guest artist in many of the world's foremost opera houses, he will sing Hagen in Götterdämmerung at Wiener Staatsoper, Daland in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer at Bergen National Opera in Norway, and The General in a new production of Prokofiev's The Gambler at Opera Vlaanderen in Belgium in this season.

Amanda Majeski, as Gutrune [full biography]

American lyric soprano Amanda Majeski is garnering critical acclaim for a voice of "silvery beauty" (Musical America). This season she plays two Wagner roles: Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and Gutrune in Götterdämmerung with the HK Phil. Highlights of last season included singing Beethoven's ninth symphony, with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil, as well as the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at Washington National Opera.

Michelle DeYoung, as Waltraute [full biography]

Multi-GRAMMY award-winner Michelle DeYoung is a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Teatro alla Scala and Theater Basel. She has also worked regularly with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw orchestra. In the 17/18 season, she makes her debut at the English National Opera as Amneris in a new production of Aida.

Peter Kálmán, as Alberich [full biography]

Hungarian bass-baritone Peter Kálmán is becoming widely known for his highly engaging character portrayals. In 2015 he gave a highly acclaimed role debut as Alberich in concert performances of Das Rheingold at Müpa Concert Hall in Budapest under Adam Fischer. He has since returned to Müpa to reprise Alberich in Das Rheingold, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung.

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