In the Ring, with the Times

The coverage of LA Opera's Ring at the LA times has really been exceptional. Not only has classical music/opera critic Mark Swed been a highly visible presence online, but the Times has also sent theater and pop music critics to cover it from a different perspective. As someone who appreciates pop and rock as well as opera, classical and other forms of music, I have been impressed by the postings of Ann Powers, who usually writes the Pop and Hiss blog (part of the larger Culture Monster blog found on the Times' website). She gets it- and articulates it very well, even if I sometimes disagree with her choice of analogies.

I'm linking to all four of her reviews of the second cycle. The third one is about to begin- again, if you can, I urge you to take a trip to LA and see at least a part of it if not the entire thing. It's phenomenal and last time I looked you could get tickets for individual performances on Goldstar, which is sad for the company but great for the average Joe or Josephine. In the meantime, take a look at these:

Das Rheingold: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/a-pop-music-critic-takes-on-wagners-ring-cycle-das-rheingold.html

Die Walkure: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/a-pop-critic-takes-on-the-ring-of-valkyries-and-vocal-magnificence.html

Siegfried: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/a-pop-critic-takes-on-the-ring-siegfried-at-los-angeles-opera.html

Gotterdammerung: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/a-pop-critic-reviews-the-ring-gotterdammerung-at-la-opera.html

Also Ring Festival LA has a pretty robust page happening on Facebook that keeps one apprised of what's going on about town. It only makes me wish I was there. The third and last cycle starts tomorrow night with Das Rheingold.