Nietzsche's philosophical output is book-ended by his relationship with Wagner. It begins with The Birth of Tragedy Out of the Spirit of Music  and ends, of course, with Nietzsche Contra Wagner. In this lecture, I will focus on The Birth of Tragedy which was based on two lectures on Greek Tragedy that Wagner and Cosima had listened to and then encouraged Nietzsche to publish. I will explore Nietzsche's ideas on the Dionysian and the Apollonian as the core concepts of Greek tragedy, and then take us full circle to the beginning of our Ring Journey at TUNDI: exploring the connections/oppositions between the Greek and the German in mythology, notions of the tragic (vs the epic), all within these German operas performed in a 'Greek' theater. But here, I will also suggest that while there is much harmony between the two, in The Birth of Tragedy, we can explore the question of difference. And through recognition of difference, we will prepare the way for our Ring Cycle experience: a place where meaning and sensation are not circumscribed; a place where meaning and sensation can bloom. 

By popular request at our festival events this week, we’re adding in an hour of ‘Qs with Hugh’ for our audience members to ask questions about anything they wish, such as Hugh’s reorchestration and unusual choices of instruments, to how TUNDI came about.

Join us in the Latchis Theatre and bring your questions!

The Nibelungenlied, the first masterwork of German national literature, inspired the arts of storytelling, painting, drama and art throughout Europe. Its most famous adaptations are Fritz Lang's silent film from 1924 and, of course, Wagner's Ring Cycle, especially Gotterdammerung, which Tundi celebrates as part of its 2025 Festival. Little-known, but due to be rediscovered, is the "other" opera that retells the legend of Siegfried. Kevin Courtemanche, a Tundi reperotry company member, will expound on the Nibelungenlied and reveal a character study of Siegfried, as retold in the two operas that draw from and serve this original source, illustrated with musical excerpts of the timeless hero Siegfried.

Explore the sounds and themes that occupy the vast world of Wagner’s Ring Cycle (Der Ring des Nibelungen). From the playful Rhinemaidens to the majestic Great Hall of Valhalla and beyond, we will see how the music is not only a wonder on the ears but also a story-telling element filled with meaning and intention.