All this would not be possible without support from the Cologne municipal government and its citizens. The German side pays the cost of the production and shares the cost of transportation. According to the Chinese organizers, a major hiccup occurred when the Cologne mayor who championed this project was removed from office. His decision had to go back to the city council for approval all over again. It helped that Cologne Opera House is being renovated, making an overseas tour feasible.

The idea, from Cologne's perspective, is that once Wagner's music is heard in Shanghai, its residents and Expo visitors will become aware of the charm of the city by the Rhine.

The Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing at the Expo's European Square, on Sept 25. It then travels to Macao to take part in the Macao International Music Festival (Oct 3). The Cologne Opera will give three performances of Mozart's Don Giovanni at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Sept 29-Oct 1.

For classical music fans, a live Ring cycle will be an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Ask Verna Parino from San Francisco, who will most likely be the oldest member in the Shanghai audience. The 93-year-old has booked her tickets for the first cycle. She says that after 57 full cycles in 30 cities of 18 countries, she will make a "new discovery" in Shanghai.

For most Chinese, Cologne's Ring of the Nibelung at Shanghai Grand Theater will add sparkle to the Oriental Pearl that is Shanghai and the crown that is the 2010 World Expo.