Opera Australia announced today that it has postponed its digital production of Wagner’s epic tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen because of the ongoing travel and social distancing restrictions caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Directed by Chinese-American Chen Shi-Zheng, the production was scheduled to run at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) from November 10 to December 5. Ever since the pandemic hit Australia in March, Opera Australian Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini has held onto the hope that the Ring Cycle would go ahead, but the time had come when a decision had to be made, says OA CEO Rory Jeffes.

Director Chen Shi-Zheng with one of the set models for his digital Ring Cycle for Opera Australia. Photograph © Rhiannon Hopley

Instead of cancelling the Ring, it has been postponed and will now be staged at QPAC in 2021 – which is quite an achievement given the number of partners involved in getting the epic production to the stage.

“We’ve combined some of the world’s best talent both on and off the stage for this first digital Ring Cycle so it’s fabulous news that we’ve been able to secure dates for next year,” said...