Artiste: Christopher Tonkin

A strong opener to Melbourne Opera's all-Australian complete Ring, the first to be performed outside a state capital, in the regional Victorian city of Bendigo.

A fine cast led by Maija Kovalevska conveys the timeless beauty and emotion of Puccini’s Parisian melodrama, but the 1930s Berlin setting remains an imperfectly realised transformation.

The fascinating politics of this opera are diminished by the presentation of just four scenes. The music and three strong performances almost make up as Sydney gets its first taste of this work.