Melbourne Opera has announced that it will tour its new staging of Wagner’s full Ring Cycle to Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre in 2023. The $5 million production will take over 250 musicians and technicians to the regional Victorian city for a six-week season. The four operas will be presented in cycles covering two weekends, encouraging audiences who will be travelling there to stay in the town for a longer time. The production will be Australia’s first regional Ring Cycle, and will also launch an annual Easter Opera Festival in Bendigo.

The cast of Die Walküre, Melbourne Opera, 2022. Photo © Robin Halls

Half of the cycle has already been staged in Melbourne. MO took Das Rheingold to Bendigo last year, and will tour its current production of Die Walküre there on 27 February. The company is no stranger to touring large productions beyond Melbourne theatres.

“Melbourne Opera has always toured regionally, interstate and internationally over its 20 years of existence. The beauty of touring to the magnificent...