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The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania

From: WNYC
Length: 00:58:55

"The Ring and I" is a story about the love affair between hundreds of thousands of people and one, colossal, controversial and awe-inspiring piece of work, Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung. Read the full description.
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Piece Description

"It has great sex, fantastic music, a great storm, a big eruptive fire at the end...Who needs soap operas? Who needs reality TV, when you have this?" says Food & Opera writer Fred Plotkin. On the eve of the Metropolitan Opera's presentation of Wagner's seventeen-hour opus, WNYC, New York Public Radio, presents "The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania," an insightful, funny, and often surprising examination of the ways Wagner's Ring Cycle has inspired passion, impacted culture, and invited controversy over the last 125 years. Hosted by Jad Abumrad, "The Ring and I" asks what many of the uninitiated must wonder: "What's the big deal?". This journey, intended for both devoted fans and newcomers alike, visits with a diverse cast of characters who weigh in with their answers to this complex question, including interviews with film composer Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings), playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America), Metropolitan Opera tech director Joe Clark, Jungian psychologist Laurie Layton Schapira, Seattle Opera director Speight Jenkins, rock guitarist Gary Lucas, and many more. ------------------------ The Ring and I: The Myth, The Passion, The Mania Feed dates and times: 3.15.04 - Monday - 18:00 - 18:59 - A72.7 - Program ID: 04-000-0173 3.17.04 - Wednesday - 18:00 - 18:59 - A72.7 - Program ID: 04-000-0173 If you have questions, or want to confirm carriage, please contact Mikel Ellcessor (212.669.8978 or mellcessor@wnyc.org) or Israel Smith (612.377.3256 or ismarketing@yahoo.com)

9 Comments Atom Feed

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Hawk Mendenhall

Posted on January 14, 2009 at 05:47 PM | Permalink

Fabulous!

I hate opera, really hate it...But yet this is the only radio documentary I have on a CD and revisit regularly. This is GREAT radio.
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Regis Smith

Posted on January 02, 2007 at 05:37 AM | Permalink

Review of The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania

The idea of doing an hour-long radio piece on The Ring automatically gets high marks. This piece will be loved by those who already know the music, and I suspect it will pique the interest of those who listen to classical music but not very much Wagner. This is definitely a piece you want to hear on the radio just before the Ring cycle comes to town.
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Emily Hanford

Posted on November 20, 2005 at 05:40 PM | Permalink

Review of The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania

Wow! This is a FANTASTIC hour of radio. Smart, creative, exciting, complex, surprising, sound rich, thoughtful.
The only drawback, for all you program directors out there, is that the piece was made for New York at a particular point in time... so you can't just put this hour on your radio station wholesale. But, you should listen, because this is hot, cutting edge, fantastic radio, and if more public radio sounded like this, no one would be able to turn it off!
The piece addresses two questions: What is Wagner's Ring Cycle? And why does it continue to inspire people? And to answer those questions, the host takes listeners on a journey across NYC - to a class a Julliard, to a restaurant... I won't spoil it by telling you all the places you get to go and the minds you get to meet.
If you can find an hour to listen to this, do. You will be rewarded with inspiration, and images and thoughts that will keep coming back to you long after you're done.
(And don't think you need to know anything about opera or Wagner to love this piece. I knew embarrassingly little about either... and now I want to know so much more).

See all 9 comments >>

Transcript

Possible Live-Read Promo text
----------------

Richard Wagner is perhaps the most controversial artist that ever lived.? And his 20 hour, 4-Opera Ring Cycle is among the most massive... and most daunting.?? Join us this week for "The Ring & I" and find out what all the fuss is about.? Hear from playwrights, musicians, food-writers and even a shrink.? The Ring & I airs [insert date and time here]...
Read the full transcript

Timing and Cues

00:00 - 18:45 ---> Segment A (not newscast compatible)

INQ: "This is a special presentation from WNYC Radio"

OUTQ: "Coming up, Incest, Apolypse Now and a Ring of Fire. You're listening to a special presentation from WNYC, New York Public Radio. The Ring & I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania"

18:45 - 19:45 Break 1 (please keep music bed)
19:46 - 36:04 Segment B

INQ: "I'm Jad Abumrad, this is a special presentation from WNYC, New York Public Radio, The Ring and I: The Myth, The Passion, The Mania."

OUTQ: "You're listening to a special presentation from WNYC, New York Public Radio. The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania."

36:04 - 37:05 Break 2 (please keep music bed)

37:05/6 - 58:59 Segment C

INQ: "I'm Jad Abumrad, this is a special presentation from WNYC, New York Public Radio, The Ring and I: The Myth, The Passion, The Mania."

OUTQ: "This program was made possible by the listeners of WNYC, New York Public Radio. I'm Jad Abumrad"

58:52 - 58:59 Music tail, ends on its own

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Related Website

http://www.wnyc.org/music/articles/27256

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