(Los Angeles, CA, March 25, 2010) Ring Festival LA will offer something for everyone during the month of May. The ten-week countywide festival of arts and culture inspired by LA Opera's first presentation of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen brings together more than 115 cultural and educational institutions across the region. Southern Californians and cultural tourists from around the world will be able to enjoy a wide variety of exhibitions, performances and special events all keying off of the Wagner epic. The second month of Ring Festival LA will culminate in the exciting opening performances of the first of the summer's three Ring cycles (marking the first time that the complete Der Ring des Nibelungen will be seen in Los Angeles), when LA Opera presents Das Rheingold on May 29 and Die Walküre on May 30 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Throughout the month there will be presentations of film, theater, talks and symposia, architectural and garden tours, a new Light of the Valkyries show in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium at Griffith Park Observatory, art exhibitions and musical presentations in many different venues across the region. According to Barry Sanders, Ring Festival LA's Leader, "All of the events during this month of Ring Festival LA reflect the richness, diversity and cultural excellence that are flourishing in Los Angeles."

PERFORMING ARTS

LA Opera
Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen
Cycle 1: Das Rheingold (5/29); Die Walkϋre (5/30); Siegfried (6/3); Götterdämmerung (6/6)
Cycle 2: Das Rheingold (6/8); Die Walkϋre (6/10); Siegfried (6/13); Götterdämmerung (6/16)
Cycle 3: Das Rheingold (6/18); Die Walkϋre (6/20); Siegfried (6/23); Götterdämmerung (6/26)
(Performance times vary www.laopera.com)
LA Opera presents the first complete Ring ever seen in Los Angeles. The cast includes soprano Linda Watson as Brünnhilde, tenor John Treleaven as Siegfried, bass Vitalij Kowaljow as Wotan, baritone Richard Paul Fink as Alberich, tenor Plácido Domingo as Siegmund, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as Sieglinde, mezzo-soprano Jill Grove as Erda and tenor Graham Clark as Mime. Ms. DeYoung will also sing roles including Fricka in Das Rheingold and Waltraute in Götterdämmerung.The cast also features bass Eric Halfvarson as Fafner, Hunding and Hagen; tenor Arnold Bezuyen as Loge; mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk as Fricka in Die Walküre; bass-baritone Alan Held as Gunther; and soprano Jennifer Wilson as Gutrune. James Conlon, LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director, conducts a production staged by legendary theater artist Achim Freyer.
Tickets: Complete Ring Cycles range from: $100 - $2,200; Single Tickets range from $50 - $275; www.laopera.com, (213) 972-8001, or Box Office
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center of Los Angeles County, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Congregation Kol Ami
Circling Wagner, May 23, 2 pm
A musical examination of the composers who influenced Wagner, as well as those he influenced. The concert will feature John Walz, cello and Edith Orloff, piano, of the Pacific Trio, with vocals by Mark Saltzman.
Suggested donation: Kol Ami Members $20, General Public $30. RSVP: www.kol-ami.org or (323) 606-0996
1200 N. La Brea Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Cool Street Music
Staged Reading: Mendelssohn! On Wings of Song, by Jacqueline Bassan, May 7, 8 pm
A musical staged reading. Felix Mendelssohn is a handsome musical genius who was born a Jew. German audiences adore him, which drives Wagner insane with jealousy. When Wagner's beautiful daughter Elsie secretly chooses Mendelssohn's Wedding March for her recessional, the music of the two rivals is joined for all eternity.
For information: www.ringfestivalla.com
Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91436

Hispanics for LA Opera & The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA)
A Concert of Opera and Zarzuela Performed by LA Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artists, May 15, 2010, 8 pm Museum & café (prix fixe menu) open at 6 pm
Hispanics for LA Opera (HLAO) brings 10 singers from LA Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artists Program to the museum for an evening of opera and zarzuela, and Wagner. Priority seating for HLAO & MOLAA Members $40, General $30, Seniors/Students $20. Tickets: www.molaa.org or (562) 473-1689
MOLAA, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802

JACARANDA: music at the edge
Concert: Prussian Blues, May 22, 8 pm
Jacaranda's season finale includes: Paul Hindemith - Septet for Winds (1948); Franz Schubert - Longing (1867); Night Song in the Forest (1827); The Gondolier (1825); Bright Night (1827); Song of the Spirits over the Waters (1858); Richard Wagner - Siegfried Idyll (1870); Gustav Mahler/ H. Stadlmair - Adagio from Symphony No. 10 (1911). This before-and-after Wagner program offers an infectious anti-Wagnerian post-war gem, five mini-dramas that anticipate his music, and - among life's great ironies - one of the great Jewish heirs to the legacy of this famously anti-Semitic composer. Admission (at the door) $40, Students $20 save online: www.jacarandamusic.org
First Pres, 1220 Second St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

KUSC Classical 91.5 FM
KUSC has some exciting Ring Festival events planned for May including its own presentation of the complete Ring cycle, in historic recordings, and, on "LA Opera on Air," performances of the complete cycle from LA Opera's current season.

LA Opera on Air: The Ring with Duff Murphy
James Conlon, Music Director and Conductor
Das Rheingold, Saturday, May 29 at 10am

The Opera Show with Duff Murphy
Saturday mornings at 9am throughout the month of May, Duff will devote his morning program to off-the-beaten track Ring-related performances. Programs include:
May 1: A Century of Wotan's: 100 Years of Ring Recordings
May 8: Brunnhilde's Sisters: The Women of the Ring
May 15: El anillo del nibelungo: Excerpts in French, Italian, Russian
May 22: High-Fi Ring: The First Stereo Recording
May 29: Brunnhilde's Revenge: Wagner's music in cartoons, movies, and more

KUSC Ring Tones
Duff Murphy presents special 90-second features in May and June, illuminating unusual aspects of the cycle.
Information: www.KUSC.org or 213-225-7412

Music Center: Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County
Pillow Theatre Presents German Opera Tales, May 1, 10 am & 11:15 am
Pillow Theatre is a free performance series designed specifically for families with children ages 3 through 6, with interactive visual arts workshops following each performance. German Opera Tales is an entertaining introduction to wonderful stories and melodies of some of the most beloved German operas, including Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, Wagner's Das Rheingold, and Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio.
Free: Tickets are distributed on the day of the event on a first-come basis.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Grand Hall, The Music Center of Los Angeles County,135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 972-8000 (message only), www.musiccenter.org/events/pillowtheatre

L.A. Storytellers: Stories of Forgiveness and Tolerance, Saturday, May 15, 10 am to noon
People share their remarkable life stories of forgiveness and tolerance. L.A. Storytellers is a unique gathering and sharing opportunity highlighting everyday people sharing oral histories, vivid memories, engaging experiences, and extraordinary life stories that illustrate the Los Angeles way of life.
Free: RSVP before May 7, 2010, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Fifth Floor, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Operetta Foundation
"Wagner and Operetta: an Unlikely Pairing," May 3, 7 - 9 pm
Friends of Operetta devotes this quarterly meeting to the influence of Wagner and his works on operetta and musical theater. A lecture and live recital features selections from stage works including Die lustigen Nibelungen (The Merry Nibelungs) by Oscar Straus, The Magic Knight by Victor Herbert, as well as works by Jacques Offenbach, Franz von Suppé, and others.
Admission $10, (310) 287-2721, www.operettafoundation.org
Beverly Hills Public Library, Auditorium, 444 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum
California State University, San Bernardino
Timeless Enchantment: Music by Richard Wagner and Wagner-inspired Composers, May 26, 6 -9 pm
Performances of music from Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung, other musical works from Wagner's portfolio (Julie Makerov, soprano; Victoria Kirsch, piano) and songs by Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler and Hugo Wolf (Stacey Fraser, soprano; Andrew Crane, tenor; Victoria Kirsch, piano). A reception follows, cost $10.
Information: (909) 537-7373, www.museum.csusb.edu
5500 University Pkwy., San Bernardino, CA 92407

Sundays Live
LA Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artists in Recital, May 23, 6 pm
Young singers from LA Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program perform in a recital featuring the music of Wagner.
Free: RSVP N/A.
LACMA, Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, (323) 857-6234, www.sundayslive.org

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
UCLA Philharmonia, University Chorus & Chamber Singers, James Conlon, Guest Conductor, May 27, 8 pm
UCLA welcomes LA Opera's Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon, who will conduct a special performance featuring Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw; Zemlinsky's Psalm 83 and Psalm 13; and Schreker's Intermezzo for strings, Op. 8 and Valse Lente. Neal Stulberg narrates.
Admission $12, UCLA faculty, staff & students (with ID) $5
Tickets: www.tickets.ucla.edu; Box office; (310) 825-2101; or at the door
Schoenberg Hall, UCLA, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024

The Verdi Chorus
Wagner and Verdi: Opposing Roads to Greatness, May 1, 7:30 pm & May 2, 4 pm
The Verdi Chorus, the only choral ensemble in the Los Angeles area dedicated to performing great choruses from the world of opera, will present a concert of choruses and ensembles from the works of Verdi and Wagner that show the similarities and contrasts in the output of these two musical giants. Soloists include soprano Erin Wood, mezzo-soprano Cynthia Jansen; and tenor Shem von Schroeck. A pre-concert talk will be given by composer Aurelio de la Vega.
Reserved Seating $40, General Seating $30, Seniors $25/$10. Tickets: www.verdichorus.org or (310) 684-3024
First United Methodist Church, 1008 11th St., Santa Monica, CA 90403

CINEMA

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Animation and Classical Music, May 14, 7:30 pm
Michael Giaccchino, composer of Ratatouille, Up, Star Trek and Lost will be hosting an evening of animated short subjects with soundtracks influenced by Wagner. The Academy will be screening shorts such as What's Up Opera Doc?, The Band Concert, The Rabbit of Seville, Musicland and more.
For admission & ticket information: www.oscars.org
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Goethe-Institut & LACMA
Die Nibelungen 1, May 7, 7:30 pm   Kriemhilde's Revenge: Die Nibelungen 2, May 8, 7:30 pm
These three institutions have come together to bring Fritz Lang's 1924 classic to the screen. The films star Paul Richter, Gertrud Arnold, Margarethe Schon and Rudolph Klein-Rogge. Scripted by Thea von Harbou, Die Nibelungen is one of the greatest artistic and technical achievements of silent German cinema, with a score by Gottfried Huppertz, conducted by Berndt Heller.
Admission $10, Museum Members & Seniors (62+)/ Students (with valid ID) $7
Tickets: www.lacma.org or (323) 857-6010
LACMA, Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

The Opera League of Los Angeles
Tony Palmer - Wagner Film Festival
Tony Palmer, the British film director, author, and composer will present and introduce three of his films:
Parsifal-The Search for the Grail, May 22, 11 am
This film about the legend of Parsifal stars Plácido Domingo, with music conducted by Valery Gergiev.

World Premiere: The Wagner Family, May 22, 3:30 pm
The director's new film chronicles the ups and downs of the Wagner family, their struggles with the Bayreuth Festival, and the fights amongst themselves. A discussion of the film's explosive contents will follow. UCLA Theatre Professor Michael Hackett will lead the discussion with Tony Palmer.

Wagner, May 23, 11 am
The monumental 1983 film starring Richard Burton, Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. Sir George Solti conducts. Palmer's film was described by the LA Times as "one of the most beautiful films ever made."
Admission: $25/movie on May 22, $50 on May 23; RSVP www.operaleague.org or write: PO Box 49933, Los Angeles, CA 90049 (Those attending all three films will receive priority seating and a complimentary collector's film program.)
James Bridges Theatre, UCLA, 1409 Melnitz Hall, Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095

CONVERSATIONS & SYMPOSIA

LA Opera Library Project: Free Speakers Bureau Talks
The Speakers Bureau, a joint program of the Opera League of Los Angeles and LA Opera, is introducing groups throughout the area to the world of opera. The Speakers Bureau is bringing the magic of the Ring cycle to Los Angeles with talks at public libraries across the region.
Free: RSVP N/A

Beverly Hills Public Library
Free Talk: "The Men of the Ring of the Nibelung," May 18, 7 pm
444 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, (310) 288-2220, www.bhpl.org

Brand Library, Glendale Public Library
Free Talk: "The Men of the Ring of the Nibelung," May 22, 2 pm
1601 Mountain St., Glendale, CA 91501, (818) 548-2051, www.brandlibrary.org

Burbank Central Library
Free Talk: "Wagner vs. Tolkien: Who is the Real Lord of the Rings?" May 10, 7 pm
110 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91201, (818) 238-5600, www.burbanklibrary.com

Claremont Public Library
Free Talk: "The Perfect Wagnerite: The Ring à la George Bernard Shaw," May 22, 2 pm
208 Harvard Ave., Claremont, CA 91711, (909) 621-4902, colapublib.org/libs/claremont

Crowell Public Library
Event: Free Talk: "The Men of the Ring of the Nibelung," May 16, 2 pm
1890 Huntington Dr., San Marino, CA 91108, (626) 300-0777, www.sanmarinopl.org

Oxnard Public Library
Free Talk: "The Perfect Wagnerite: The Ring à la George Bernard Shaw," May 29, 2:30 pm
251 South A St., Oxnard, CA 93030, (805) 240-7344, www.oxnard.org

Pasadena Central Library
Free Talk: "The Perfect Wagnerite: The Ring à la George Bernard Shaw," May 6, 7 pm
285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101, (626)744-4066, cityofpasadena.net/library

Platt Branch Library, Los Angeles Public Library
Free Talk: "The Men of the Ring of the Nibelung," May 12, 6:45 pm
23600 Victory Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91367, (818) 340-9386, www.lapl.org/branches/Branch.php?bID=65

Redondo Beach Public Library
Free Talk: "Wagner vs. Tolkien: Who is the Real Lord of the Rings?" May 11, 7 pm
303 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, (310) 318-0675, www.redondo.org/library

Santa Monica Public Library
Free Talk: "The Perfect Wagnerite: The Ring à la George Bernard Shaw," May 20, 7 pm
601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90402, (310) 458-8600, www.smpl.org

Occidental College
"Wagner's Ring: Historical, Artistic, and Philosophical Perspectives," May 4, 1 - 5:30 pm
A one-day interdisciplinary symposium whose focus is the artistic, cultural, historical, political and performative context for Wagner's monumental Ring cycle. Participants include speakers from the Music, German, History, Art History and Visual Arts departments. Themes addressed in the symposium include the "intersection between music, politics and prejudice" (Tommasini, NY Times, 8/5/09) and music-analytic approaches to Wagner's musical language.
Information: (323) 259-2785, departments.oxy.edu/music/RingFestivalLA.htm
Johnson Hall 200, 1600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90041,

Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum
California State University, San Bernardino
"Timeless Enchantment: Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung in Performance, from Bayreuth in 1876 to LA in 2010," May 12, 5 pm
Part of a larger series investigating the various ways the story and music of Wagner's Ring has continued to be used in music, visual arts, theatre, literature, movies, comic books, etc., this lecture will focus on the most important (historically and artistically) Ring productions. Information: (909) 537-5000,
www.museum.csusb.edu
Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum, CSUSB, 5500 University Pkwy., San Bernardino, CA 92407

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Department of Comparative Literature
"Saving Wagner: A Communist Perspective," May 28, 2 pm
Two prominent continental philosophers Alain Badiou and Slavoj Žižek discuss Wagner's revolutionary ideas (both musical and political) and their place in contemporary discussions of the relationship of art and politics.
Schoenberg Hall, UCLA, Le Conte Ave. and Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024, www.sounandsignifier.com

University of Southern California: Brain and Creativity Institute/REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CALARTS Theater)
"Wagner, Myth and the Human Brain," May 30, 3 - 5 pm
A colloquium, featuring acclaimed theater and opera director Peter Sellars, world-renowned visual artist Bill Viola, and Antonio Damasio, internationally-renowned neurologist and neuroscientist as well as Director of the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, at REDCAT Theater.
For information about the USC Brain and Creativity Institute: www.usc.edu/bci or (213) 740-3462
Tickets: $10, www.redcat.org, (213) 237-2800
REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

ECLECTICA

California African American Museum (CAAM)
Target Sundays at CAAM, May 2, 1 pm (Museum opens at 11 am)
This once-a-month fun, family-friendly Sunday cultural experience celebrates the diverse influences and achievements of art and culture from the African American Diaspora. CAAM Target Sundays will present selections from Richard Wagner's monumental work, Der Ring des Niebelungen.
Information: (213) 744-7432, www.caam.ca.gov/pp.htm
600 State Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90037

Descanso Gardens
Trees of Norse Myth
May 27 - June 30, 9 am - 5 pm
Descanso Gardens will feature the Trees of Norse Myth-a gardens exploration of the tales and tree specimens figuring in the original Norse myths which inspired Wagner's Ring cycle. The map for this exploration, in the form of a self-guided tour, will be available for free download beginning May 27, 2010 at: www.descansogardens.org.
Admission $8, Senior/Students $6, Children (5 - 12 years) $3, Guild Members and Children under 5 free
1418 Descanso Dr., La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91011

Friends of the Observatory
Cosmic Conjunction 2010: Diamond Nights * Northern Lights, May 15, 2010
Celebrate Griffith Observatory's 75th diamond birthday at the world premiere of Light of the Valkyries, a dazzling planetarium show developed for Ring Festival LA and featuring live celebrity performers. See Griffith Observatory wrapped in shimmering veils of colored northern lights as you walk down a red carpet.
Please call 213-473-0879 or visit www.FriendsOfTheObservatory.org
Griffith Observatory, 2800 E. Observatory Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Griffith Observatory
Planetarium Exhibit: Light of the Valkyries, May 18 - September 5, Tuesday-Friday Noon - 10 pm; Saturday-Sunday 10 am - 10 pm
Viking myth and modern astrophysics converge in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium for a celebration of the northern lights orchestrated to the music of Wagner's Ring cycle. This exciting and unprecedented new live planetarium show will be performed daily.
Admission $7, Seniors/Students & FOTO Members $5, Children (ages 5-12) $3, (213) 473-0800 www.griffithobservatory.org
2800 E. Observatory Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Los Angeles Conservancy
Ongoing Tours
In the 1930s and '40s, the city became home to some of the greatest German artists, architects, and writers, who sought refuge here during the rise of National Socialism in Europe. The Los Angeles Conservancy will highlight the physical landscape of the city's twentieth-century German influence with a self-guided tour of historic sites related to notable figures including Thomas Mann, Alfred Döblin, and Bertolt Brecht. Visit these sites online with an easy-to-use Google map or print the map and explore the sites firsthand. The annotated map is available at:
www.laconservancy.org

University of Southern California (USC) - Max Kade Institute for Austrian-German-Swiss Studies
Music, Stage Reading and Panel Discussion, May 9, 3 pm & May 17, 7:30 pm
Christina Linhardt, soprano, and Yulia Levin, piano, perform Wotan's Ring Parable, with text by Cornelius Schnauber and music by Tom Schnauber. Eric Braeden reads Die Nibelungen Saga, Richard Wagner's original story of his Ring tetralogy. Professor Michael Meyer lectures on "Inventing Germany: Wagner and the National Imagination," and Professor Cornelius Schnauber speaks on "How Anti-Semitic was Richard Wagner?" Ms. Levin closes performing Fasolt and Fafner paint the Town, a Ring rhapsody for two Wagner Tuben and piano by Tom Schnauber. Presented in collaboration with the German-American Cultural Society.
For information: (213) 743-2707, college.usc.edu/max-kade/announcements
2714 S. Hoover St., Los Angeles, CA 90007

EDUCATIONAL

Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA)
Exhibition: Ring: Works from SMMoA's Park Studio Project, May 15 - August 21, Tue. - Sat. 11 am - 6 pm
Santa Monica Museum of Art presents Ring an exhibition featuring work completed during the museum's signature outreach program for teens entitled Park Studio. Students worked with artist Gordon Bowen and his Arts ReFoundry Atelier to create sculptures in bronze inspired by themes from Wagner's Der Ring des Nieblungen.
Information: (310) 586-6488, www.smmoa.org
Bergamot Station, G1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404

HOSPITALITY

Let's Be Frank
German Hotdogs, May 28 - June 28
The famous grass-fed hotdogs of Let's Be Frank will be available throughout Ring Festival LA during selected events. In honor of the Ring, Let's Be Frank has created a special German hotdog. For cart/trailer schedule:
www.letsbefrankdogs.com

The Opera League of Los Angeles
Concierge Information Booth & Ring Merchandise, May 29 - June 28
On Ring cycle performance days, visitors can find answers to their questions at the booth on Music Center Plaza. Special Ring-related merchandise is available in the Pavilion lobby or online at: www.laopera.com
Information: (323) 256-1814.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center of Los Angeles County, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Patina Restaurant Association
German Food Festival in Patina Restaurants throughout Los Angeles May 29 - June 28
Special menus created by a renowned German chef, especially for Ring Festival LA.
Information: www.patinagroup.com or (213) 239-2520.

Patina's German Beer Garden on the Music Center Plaza, May 29 - June 28
Enjoy a German beer before or after a performance, or just stop by to relax on the Plaza.
Music Center of Los Angeles County, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90012

Ring Festival LA Merchandise
Shop for posters, tee-shirts, tote bags and more at: www.cafepress.com/ringfestivalla

THEATER

Geffen Playhouse
Nightmare Alley, Through May 23, 2010, Tue. - Thu. 8pm, Sat. 3 & 8pm, & Sun. 2 & 7 pm
Step into Nightmare Alley and enter the titillating world of carnies, cons and clairvoyants. With a score as wild as a funhouse and as evocative as a beautiful tightrope walker, this world premiere musical tells the tale of a young carnie couple who tempt the fickle hand of fate. Based on the darkly evocative 1946 William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same time, Nightmare Alley is a night at the theater full of special effects, wondrous feats and enough spirit to make believers of us all. But remember, here, things are never as they seem. Directed by Gilbert Cates; music, book and lyrics by Jonathan Brielle.
Post-show discussions will be held after the following performances: May 4, 11 & 18
Tickets: $35 - $74, www.geffenplayhouse.com or (310) 208-5454
10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024

VISUAL ARTS

18th Street Arts Center/Clayton Campbell
Digital Wagner, May 1 - June 25, Mon. - Fri. 11 am - 5:30 pm
Acclaimed Los Angeles artist Clayton Campbell presents a digital photographic and media installation which explores the symbolism, mythic storytelling and social relevancy of the Ring cycle.
Information: (310) 453-3711, www.18thstreet.org
1639 18th St., Santa Monica, CA 90404

ACE Gallery
Achim Freyer, May 31-June 25, Tue.- Sat. 10 am - 6 pm
The gallery showing of LA Opera's Ring designer/director Achim Freyer's paintings affords an opportunity to become acquainted with the artist's work beyond the stage. Founded in 1961 by the Gallery's current director Douglas Chrismas, ACE gallery has a history of installing ambitious museum quality exhibitions.
Information: (323) 935-4411, www.acegallery.net
5514 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Autry National Center
Opera in the Libraries (online exhibition) Through July, 2010
The online exhibition will draw on the collections of the Braun Research Library and Autry Library. Featured will be a rare 1912 recording of French tenor Augustarello Affre recorded in Los Angeles by Charles F. Lummis and the libretto from La Fanciulla del West with music composed by Giacomo Puccini.
To view the exhibition, visit www.theautry.org
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027

California Art Club
Paintings from the Ring Paint-Outs, (Venues & Dates Below)
For the past year, members of the California Art Club have painting scenes and mythic themes of the Ring cycle in plein air at various locations around the county. The finished works by the nationally-renowned artists who participated are on exhibition in two locations. A third exhibition opens at the Pasadena Museum of California Art on June 13, 2010.Information: www.californiaartclub.org or (626) 583-9009
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, May 10 - July 16, 2010; www.theautry.org, (213) 680-5200, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The Fine Arts Building, May 10 - June 4, 2010; 811 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90017

J. Paul Getty Museum, The Getty Center
Adult Gallery Course: Mythology: Classic and Contemporary May 1, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Enjoy art from the Renaissance to the fin de siècle with educators William Zaluski and Anna Sapenuk. In lecture and gallery discussions, examine and interpret painting, sculpture, and decorative art, while considering the lasting influence of mythology on works of art from the 16th through the 19th centuries.
Course fee: $20 (open to 40 participants)
Information: (310) 440-7300
Getty Research Institute Lecture Hall and Museum Galleries, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90049

J. Paul Getty Museum, The Getty Villa
Special Tours: Antiquity and Wagner's Ring Cycle, May 2, 5, 19, & 23, 2:30 - 4 pm
Since its original production in 1869, Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen has attracted scholarly and popular debate. In this 90-minute guided discussion, explore the connections between his four epic operas, classical mythology, and ancient theater through works of art in the Getty Museum's collection.
Free: Meet at the Tour Meeting Place (open to 25 participants)
Information: (310) 440-7300, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, California 90272

LACMA
Exhibition: Myths, Legends and Cultural Renewal: Wagner's Sources, April 15 - August 16, Mon., Tue. & Thu. Noon - 8pm, Fri. Noon - 9pm, Sat. & Sun. 11am - 8 pm
This exhibition drawn from LACMA's collection explores Germanic myths and legends in various embodiments in the modern era. Myths, legends, and fables form an essential component of cultural renewal. Reinvented and passed on by each generation, they have continued to fascinate artists into the modern era. Integrated into the awakening of German nationalism in the 19th century, these traditions continued to fascinate various authors and artists into the high modernism of the early 20th century.
Information: www.lacma.org or (323) 932-5881
Admission: $12, Seniors (62+) & Students (18+) (with ID) $8; Children (17 and under) free
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

The Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture
Exhibition: Epic Tales of Latino Art, April 15 - June 30, Tue.- Sun. 10 am - 4 pm
Epic Tales of Latino Art presents Latino artists' heroic quest to find identity and self definition. This exhibit showcases works in The Latino Museum's permanent collection that, like Richard Wagner's Ring, are dramatic, mythical, fantastical, conflicting yet real and thought provoking.

Reception and Panel Welcoming the Ring, May 13, 6:30 pm
A panel presentation in conjunction with the current exhibition discusses the pathways available to upcoming Latino artists, and the impact of their artistic contributions in the 21st century. Panel will include experts in the educational, cultural, and governmental arenas. RSVP This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Information: (213) 626-7600, www.thelatinomuseum.com
514 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90013

Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum
California State University, San Bernardino
Timeless Enchantment: Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung in Visual Arts and Performance, Through July 31, Tues. - Wed. & Fri. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Thu. 10 am - 7 pm
Part of a larger series investigating the various ways the story and music of Wagner's Ring has continued to be used in music, visual arts, theater, literature, movies, comic books, etc., this exhibition has two components: the Ring story in Arthur Rackham's illustrations and photographs from various Ring performances.
Information: (909) 537-5000, www.museum.csusb.edu
5500 University Pkwy., San Bernardino, CA 92407

For information on these and many other upcoming events, please visit www.RingFestivalLA.com

Ring Festival LA Media Contact:
Catherine Babcock
Public Relations Consultant
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P: (213) 972-7691