Wagner's Dream (2012)

documentary

The stakes could not be higher as visionary director Robert Lepage, the world's greatest singers, and the Metropolitan Opera tackle Wagner's Ring cycle. An intimate look at the enormous theatrical and musical challenges of staging opera's most monumental work, the film chronicles the quest to fulfill Wagner's dream of a perfect Ring.

Cast:

Carl Fillion Himself
Peter Gelb Himself
Jay Hunter Himself
Robert Lepage Himself
James Levine Himself
Fabio Luisi Himself
Deborah Voigt Herself

kenneth-turan added a review of Wagner's Dream

You don't need to be a fan of Wagner, or even opera, to find this a fascinating glimpse of a dauntingly complex human endeavor. Read the review

kenneth-turan rated Wagner's Dream

8 stars

lisa-schwarzbaum added a review of Wagner's Dream

The result is an engrossing chronicle of creative people under pressure, a movie about the madness of opera for which no knowledge of opera is required for full enjoyment. Read the review

lisa-schwarzbaum rated Wagner's Dream

10 stars

joe-neumaier added a review of Wagner's Dream

The finished "Ring" cycle, a combination of "myth, science and legend" made to order as Wagner imagined it, was unique to every viewer's eye. The making of it will be spellbinding to ever... Read the review

joe-neumaier rated Wagner's Dream

8 stars

andrew-schenker added a review of Wagner's Dream

The title of Susan Froemke's documentary is both an expression of aspiration and a statement of achievement. Read the review

andrew-schenker rated Wagner's Dream

7 stars

john-defore added a review of Wagner's Dream

Rising well above the typical making-of feature, the documentary will fascinate buffs when shown alongside the operas themselves. Read the review

john-defore rated Wagner's Dream

8 stars

stephen-holden added a review of Wagner's Dream

Awesome also describes this 16-hour, four-opera masterwork about the creation and destruction of the world, a work that Wagner considered unstageable in his time. Read the review

stephen-holden rated Wagner's Dream

8 stars

ronnie-scheib-variety added a review of Wagner's Dream

Tension flows organically from every phase of this dangerous endeavor, making for a highly entertaining outing for operaphiles and operaphobes alike. Read the review

ronnie-scheib-variety rated Wagner's Dream

9 stars

nick-schager added a review of Wagner's Dream

It remains a rousing portrait of creative renewal and, specifically, the way in which - by attempting something daring and new in the face of an opera culture deeply invested in tradition... Read the review

nick-schager rated Wagner's Dream

9 stars