The Power of the Ring

15 AUG 2026: From Bayreuth to pop culture, “The Power of the Ring – 150 Years The Ring of the Nibelung” explores the work’s enduring fascination.

Few works match the sheer ambition of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung – a cycle of four music dramas, nearly 16 hours in total, that has stood at the centre of musical, political and cultural debate since its Bayreuth premiere in 1876. Nearly 150 years on, the Ring remains as contested and captivating as ever: a cornerstone of the operatic canon, and a surprisingly persistent presence in film, comics, and popular music.

A new documentary directed by Andy Sommer traces the work's creation, its reception across vastly different historical moments, and the restless urge of each generation to reimagine it anew. Landmark productions – from Chéreau's revolutionary Jahrhundertring to recent stagings by Valentin Schwarz, Barrie Kosky and Andreas Homoki – serve as reference points, while interviews with Simone Young, Tomasz Konieczny, Camilla Nylund, philosopher Slavoj Žižek and many others illuminate Wagner's genius, his antisemitism and controversies, and his remarkable staying power.

Guided by the fictional figure of Brünnhilde as narrator, and enriched by animated sequences from artist Luc Perez, “The Power of the Ring” makes one of music's greatest monuments vivid, accessible, and urgently alive.

The Power of the Ring – 150 Years of "The Ring of the Nibelung"

Broadcast date: Friday, 15 August 2026, at 10:35 p.m. on ARTE and available from 28 July until 13 September 2026.

A 4K UHD production of Accentus Music
In Coproduction with WDR
In Cooperation with ARTE

English title The Power of the Ring – 150 Years of The Ring of the Nibelung
Original title Die Macht des Rings – 150 Jahre Der Ring des Nibelungen
Duration 56 minutes
Production year 2026