"I took three nights to read the complete libretto," Qian says. "The Chinese translation is provided by the Taiwan Wagner Society - gratis."

There were literally thousands of organizational decisions to make. Instead of the customary one-hour intermission in Cologne, Shanghai will shorten it to half an hour, providing enough time for a snack.

Since the Cologne staging has moved the story from the mythical past to the modern era, 87 prop guns will be used. But China has strict gun controls, even for the fake ones used on stage. To get permission, the theater had to apply to the Ministry of Culture, which, in turn, coordinates with the Ministry of Public Security, before the guns could receive Customs clearance.

Qian says a representative from Cologne Opera, a security guard of the Shanghai theater and an independent supervisor must be present when the box containing the guns is opened and again when they are counted and packed away.

The fire department must approve the use of real fire, a key plot in the music drama. In many productions, the fire is simulated because local codes forbid the use of real fire. The Cologne version calls for the real thing, and German stage technicians insist on bringing their own flammable material. "We'll see how it comes out," Qian says.

To educate the public about this cultural milestone, the organizers are running a series of lectures on Wagner and his magnum opus, some of which are being edited into television documentaries and airing on the Shanghai Oriental Television Arts & Humanities Channel.

The performance on Sept 24, the last show of the two cycles, will be aired live to allow those outside the theater a taste of Wagner's magic. Cologne musicians have drastically reduced their fees to make the broadcast possible.