Charles Ellis

The one book featured here is about the structure of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen", often called The Ring Cycle. This profile is of Charles Ellis and his work on this masterpiece. Although the content is central to Wagner's music, nothing like this book has been written in over 50 years.

Charles is 87 and started writing the book on 20th May 2012 - his 77th birthday. It took 10 years to write, with much new research: all Norse and early German sources, the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer and Wagner's letters written in 1854.

His knowledge of opera is extensive. He saw his first opera in 1949 in London. In 1954, on leave from British National Service, he saw the first of many "Ring" performances. In total, he has seen over 700 performances of 222 operas. Amongst these are 17 performances of 222 operas. These include 17 cycles of the four opera "Rng", in the UK, USA and Europe.

At university in Cambridge, England, he studied Shakespeare, tragic theatre and philosophy. He also directed operas, including the European pemiere of Aaron Copland's "The Tender Land."