It's Wagner time for Shanghai's opera fans

Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan and Isolde" will make its Shanghai debut on July 4 at Shanghai Grand Theater, gathering opera singers from home and abroad.

According to a three-year collaboration between Shanghai Grand Theater and the Bayreuther Festspiele (Bayreuther Festival) – an annual music festival in Bayreuth, Germany – Wagner's three operas will be staged in Shanghai over the next three years, with the original cast, costume, and stage design from the festival.

It will also be the Asian premiere for Bayreuther Festival's version of "Tristan and Isolde." Created between 1857 and 1859, the three-act piece is often regarded as a milestone in Wagner's mature artistic style, renowned for its intricate yet sophisticated harmony, emotional depth, and high demands on performers' technical skill and expressive capabilities.

Shanghai Opera House singers will be joined by international opera performers for the three performances from July 4 to 6. Musicians from the Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, and Royal Opera of Belgium will join the Shanghai Opera House Orchestra.

Led by conductor and Shanghai Opera House director Xu Zhong, the troupe held an open rehearsal for some of the city's opera fans on Tuesday.

"Today we want to showcase some nuanced details in Wagner's masterwork," said Xu. "This opera, spanning over four hours, presents a formidable challenge to both instrumentalists and vocalists – and to myself. It's a litmus test of artistic mettle."

According to Shanghai Grand Theater, more Wagner opera-related lectures and sharing sessions will be organized in the following month to prepare music lovers for the upcoming performances.

Performance info:

Dates: July 4-5, 7pm; July 6, 2pm

Tickets: 180-1,280 yuan

Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater 上海大剧院

Address: 300 People's Ave 人民大道300号