Wagnerian epic rings up strong box office

More than 6,000 patrons saw The Ring of the Nibelung over a three-week run by Toronto's Canadian Opera Company, the COC reported Sunday.

The opera company's new home, The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, has 2,043 seats.

The three Ring Cycles were 99 per cent sold out, the COC said.

The COC opened the season in its new home with The Ring of the Nibelung in an ambitious production that involved four different directors interpreting each of Wagner's four operas in the series.

Some patrons even sat through Wagner's marathon more than once, with nine people buying tickets to all three weeks of the performance.

About 20 per cent of Ring Cycle tickets were sold outside Canada and 30 per cent outside of Ontario, the COC reported.

Opera fans came from 30 different countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, South Africa and 38 U.S. states.

Despite last-minute changes of the cast after baritone Pavlo Hunka pulled out because of poor health, the production was acclaimed by critics from around the world.

Artistic director and conductor Richard Bradshaw was singled out for praise, both for realizing the dream of a dedicated opera centre for Toronto and for the beauty of the music from the COC orchestra.

More than 599 people were involved in the $11-millionproduction, including 27 singers in main roles and 50 chorus singers.

Mozart's Cosifan Tutte, the next COC production that begins Oct. 17, is already sold out.