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