I've always been a fan of Wagner since my Mum and Dad gave me a 'best of' tape for Christmas one year when I was young. The Christmas classical music tape was normally just above new pants for excitement factor but I took to this one. At the time with a film viewing reel of "Apocalypse Now" () and "Excalibur" ( - gore warning! Arthur and Mordred die messily) I was already half way there I suppose. I've cherry picked ever since, but never listened to whole works at a time.
A week or two back Radio 3 rebroadcast the entire Ring Cycle from 2018. It's here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000svrs. There's not been too many positives from COVID but working in an office by myself I have been listening to Radio 3 quite a bit, and I think this has been a unique opportunity to listen to the whole work in a way which I don't think I would have been able to in normal times. I have listened to bits I have never heard before (the last ten minutes of Die Walkure were particularly engaging ), and heard themes and motifs picked out which re-occur elsewhere. It's very good for working as it slips in at just the right subconscious level of listening for me.
It's also notable for Tom Service achieving peak Radio 3 breathy excitement in the introductions and conclusions. There's a peculiar tone that the announcers use for Radio 3 live concerts which strongly reminds me of my dad listening to them on summer evenings when I was young.
So what do you think UKC, is the opportunity to listen to the entire Ring Cycle a COVID pro or con? Heaven or Hell? Perhaps one day I'll be able to travel to Bayreuth for the Wagner festival and watch it staged over four nights. One can but dream!
