MusicAeterna: The Ring without Words

About the Event

Without a written tradition, we observe that over the last century and a bit, there has been a trend to separate Wagner’s music from its text. The rationale for this is fascinating: since Wagner is primarily a symphonic composer, his compositions should stand alone without the words.

Hermann Zumpe, an orchestra conductor who assisted Wagner in staging his Ring, was the pioneer in removing vocals, creating purely orchestral versions. In 1912, Leopold Stokowski introduced his Wagner Without Words to The Philadelphia Orchestra. Yet, it is Lorin Maazel's instrumental synthesis that has gained the most acclaim, inspiring numerous successors.

The Ring of the Nibelung condensed into an hour without words. Even the staunchest Wagnerian purists can't complain if the piece is executed by one of today’s most virtuosic orchestras, MusicAeterna, under the baton of Teodor Currentzis. His involvement guarantees precision, a richness of sound, brilliance, and emotive expression—all hallmarks of the maestro. Moreover, as witnessed by the Teatro de la Maestranza audience during the unforgettable 23‐24 season’s Mozart Requiem, the performance teems with depth, passion, and drama. Everything quintessentially Wagner. Minus the words.