Frank Castorf says forget bicentenary, you will be lucky to get a Ring of the year.

Frank Castorf: "But look. My Watch says its only 8.30 AM"

 Ever wondered what it was like for directors working in Bayreuth? According to Frank Castof (this year's Ring cycle director at Bayreuth should you have been living in a shoebox since 2011) its like working in the old Eastern bloc - mixed with the worst soap opera ever.

"Everyone from the outside is the enemy. This is like it was in old East Germany" he says. Although oddly, he has hardly seen the Wagner sisters. But perhaps he wouldn't, given that he says he has only been given nine days to rehearse Rheingold. This, he says, is "Clearly madness!"

And when he has seen them? It appears they have said little but to note they are not very happy with his "timekeeping" -  which he admits is not his forte.

But his Bicentennial Ring cycle? One for the century at least? No he says, he will be happy if it is the Ring of the year.