Behind the scenes of the premiere of the opera masterpiece "Ron Green", the wedding march is sung at the Shanghai Grand Theatre

At countless weddings, as the bride walks onto the red carpet with her father's company and approaches the groom step by step, this familiar melody is often played:

What many people don't know is that this classic melody comes from the third act of the opera "Ron Green" by German composer and opera master Wagner, the wedding of Ron Green and his lover Elsa.

For 173 years since its performance, "Ron Green" has been a sacred and solemn melody that praises holy love and has been widely spread worldwide. This four and a half hour long opera can also be regarded as one of Wagner's representative works.

On September 17th and 19th, 2023, the Wagner opera "Ron Green", jointly produced by the Bavarian State Opera House and the Shanghai Opera House, was unveiled as the opening opera of the 2023-2024 performance season at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

This is not only the first collaboration between the renowned Bavarian State Opera House and a Chinese theater troupe, but also the first time this version has been performed in China.

The Bavarian State Opera House has a long history of 260 years and is the most renowned opera house in Germany, renowned for its premiere of every Wagner work.

This cooperation with the Shanghai Opera House not only brought in the lead cast of the Bavarian National Opera House, but also achieved comprehensive introduction in stage art and drama directors.

The opera house, which holds the authentic source of Wagner's opera, interprets classical works with the most avant-garde stage visual effects and theatrical expression. This version of "Ron Green" reflects the characteristics of "old works and new performances" that have emerged in recent years, especially in the German opera industry, keeping up with the times.

In terms of stage presentation, it is completely different from the scenes of the European court in previous versions of "Ron Green". From character design to worldview setting, it has become abstract, fictional, and modern, providing opera enthusiasts with a refreshing viewing experience.

Starting from August 29th, the play will undergo rehearsals at the Shanghai Opera House and Shanghai Grand Theatre.

On August 29th, Xu Zhong, the conductor of "Ron Green", was present at the rehearsal hall of Shanghai Opera House. On this day, all the German actors and vocal instructors were in place, and they had to collaborate with the choir members of the Shanghai Opera House to practice key passages.

Stefan Wink, who plays Ron Green, and Charlotte Anne Shipley, who plays Elsa, are rehearsing.

During the rehearsal, musicians from China and Germany engaged in intimate and friendly communication and exchange.

The Shanghai Opera House dispatched a large choir to participate in the rehearsal performance of "Ron Green".

Chinese and German artists take turns appearing on stage, listening attentively to each other's singing while standing below.

On September 12th, the stage design team arrived at the Shanghai Grand Theatre and began installing the stage.

The German team provided detailed drawings for the stage setting, which were accurately replicated 1:1 by the Chinese team to ensure the authenticity of the performance.

A dance production company from Nantong, Jiangsu, a technical team from Shanghai Opera House and Shanghai Grand Theatre, and technical personnel from the Bavarian National Opera House in Germany collaborated to complete the setting work of "Ron Green".

Unlike traditional court scenes, the new version of "Ron Green" by the Bavarian International Opera House creates an Eden like world in the first act, with even a small pond in the center of the stage.

On September 15th, the actors arrived early at the backstage of the Shanghai Grand Theatre for a complete pre performance rehearsal.

The large choir of Shanghai Opera House also poses challenges to the work of makeup artists.

Before the performance, the tailor adjusted the size of each choir member's clothes.

The musicians are auditioning in the background, preparing to enter the music pool. This performance drew on the elite musicians from the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and the Shanghai Opera House to escort Wagner's complex and lengthy opera works.

As the rehearsal entered the countdown, the backstage actors were busy dressing up and taking the stage, while the side screen staff and stage setting masters made final adjustments and confirmations to all technical details on stage.

In the VIP lounge outside the theater, many media reporters gathered to conduct rotating interviews with the main creators on stage and behind the scenes. The performance of "Ron Green" can be considered a hot topic in urban entertainment. Command Xu Zhong to turn around and greet Stefan Wink, played by Ron Green, who walked into the interview room.

In Wagner's powerful opening song, "Ron Green" opened the curtain.

"Ron Green" is a fairy tale opera based on ancient European legends from the 10th century AD. The first act tells the story of the noble woman Elsa, who is facing inexplicable accusations and crisis. A swan knight named Roglin falls from the sky to fight for her and avenge her.

In the second act, the stage scenery changes to the front of the Antwerp Castle Palace. In this scene, Elsa received the blessings of everyone, but was also lured by the instigator of the entire wrongful case, Count Frederick's wife, Otto. Elsa began to question Ron Green's background, planting seeds of doubt in her heart. By creating an atmosphere with different color temperature lighting, this scene achieves a transformation of time and emotion.

The third act presents the scene of their wedding in a unique way, and it is at the beginning of the third act that the audience can listen to the melody of the classic wedding march. In the end, Ron Green responded to Elsa's taboo question and, while rescuing her brother Gottfried, he could only leave his lover.

This year marks the 210th anniversary of Wagner's birth, and major opera houses around the world have released Wagner themed works and performances. For Shanghai this year, it is undoubtedly the "Year of Opera".

In February this year, the Shanghai Opera House collaborated with the National Grand Theatre to perform Puccini's opera "Tosca" at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

Famous singer and Hui played the lead role in "Tuscany".

In May, the Shanghai Opera House and the German Elft Theatre jointly produced the opera "The Drifting Dutchman", which was performed at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Opera House.

Renowned American singer Todd Thomas played the Dutchman in "The Drifting Dutchman".

Just next month, Russian conductor Dzeyev will lead his long-term helm at the Malinsky Theatre to Shanghai to present the complete version of Wagner's opera masterpiece "The Ring of Nibelungen" in a four-day marathon style performance. This is also the first time since 2010 that the complete version of this work has been presented to audiences in Shanghai.