A controversial performance of this work was directed by Patrice Chéreau and conducted by Pierre Boulez  (boo-LEZZ)  for its hundredth anniversary.
The initial plan for this work was announced in its composer's essay "A Communication to My Friends". A controversial performance of this work was directed by Patrice Chéreau and conducted by Pierre Boulez  (boo-LEZZ)  for its hundredth anniversary. The first part of this longer work opens with an extensive E-flat major drone. The orchestra for this work features an expanded brass section, including bass trumpets, contrabass trombones, and a newly-invented horn known as its (*)  composer's namesake "tuba". It is performed in its entirety every few years at the Bayreuth  (BYE-royt)  Festival, and it includes more than 170  leitmotifs   (LIGHT-moh-TEEFS) , representing such characters as Wotan, Alberich, and Brünnhilde. For 10 points,  Das Rheingold  and  Götterdämmerung   (got-er-DAYM-er-ung)  bookend what cycle of operas by Richard Wagner?
The initial plan for this work was announced in its composer's essay "A Communication to My Friends".
the  Ring  Cycle [or  Der  Ring  des Nibelungens ; or  The  Ring  of the Nibelung ; until "Rheingold" is read, anti-prompt (ask the player to be less specific) on any of these answers:  Das  Rheingold ;  The  Rheingold ; Die  Walküre ;  The  Valkyrie ;  Siegfried ;  Götterdämmerung ; or  The  Twilight of the Gods ]