Thirty-six years after composer Jonathan Dove and director Graham Vick created their abridged version of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, the first part – Das Rheingold – has finally had its Australian premiere. But was it worth the wait?

Angelique Tot, Katrina Waters and Camilla Wright in Shaumet Music’s Das Rheingold. Photo © Cassandra Hannagan

One should always listen to what an audience is saying after a show. In this case, after a good third of the hall had risen to its feet in a euphoric ovation, many in attendance gathered outside to congratulate their friends in the cast.

“So, how did you like your first opera?” one of the singers asked.

“It was awesome!” came the eager reply.

Such reactions speak to the production’s central achievement: it clearly resonated with first-time operagoers.

Purists may consider the star rating for this semi-staged concert generous, but for those experiencing Wagner for the first time, it won’t be high enough.

The question, then, is how this version should be judged at all. One cannot and should not compare a performance of the Dove/Vick reduction...