The seventh and final seminar ‘Opera in Imagination and Performance’ focuses on the composer Richard Wagner and, in particular, his tetralogy ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’. The 150th anniversary of the premiere of the tetralogy was marked this summer. The first part, ‘Das Rheingold’, was staged for the first time in Estonia by the Vanemuine National Theatre during the Saaremaa Opera Days. The work is the subject of various interpretations: Joachim Herz’s production in Leipzig from 1973 to 1976, which is regarded as groundbreaking; the version by Tobias Kratzer, one of today’s leading opera directors, in Munich; and Michiel Dijkema’s production at Vanemuine, conducted by Risto Joost. Julia Glänzel (Theatre Department of the Archive of the Berlin Academy of Arts), dramaturg Bettina Bartz (Berlin) and Risto Joost will explore these topics. The day will conclude with a discussion.

The second day of the seminar is devoted to the question of how Wagner has influenced 20th-century and contemporary musical theatre, a topic on which Kerri Kotta will reflect. Composers and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) alumni Giovanni Albini and Tze Yeung Ho will present their stage works.

The first opera seminar took place in 2019 to celebrate the opening of the Joachim Herz Room at EAMT. The Herz Room houses his extensive library and record collection.

See the seminar schedule HERE.

The seminar is given in English.