Tue Apr 30 2002 at 1:50:44
There is no way to fully experience Wagner's Ring Cycle except by sitting through all 14.5 hours of it. Yes, it's long. Yes, parts of it are deathly boring. But by the time it's over, you'll be convinced that it is one of the greatest cultural milestones of all human history.
First, a little background on the composer. Wagner was a 19th Century pop star, one of the most arrogant and eccentric geniuses ever. He engaged in hallucinogenic drugs. He wore something akin to tie-dye shirts. He maintained that he had to live continually in the lap of luxury in order to compose his music. He said that the world had a duty to let him live "for free" because of his genius, so he spent most of his life mooching off of friends and running from creditors. He, like