Singer John Wegner says it's time to think big when staging music.

JOHN Wegner wants to see more big music projects, such as Wagner's four-part Ring Cycle, presented in Australia. The internationally acclaimed singer says the first Australian-produced Cycle, staged in Adelaide four years ago, demonstrated what could be achieved.

"It was a big investment but its impact extended beyond the rewards from tourism to raise the country's cultural image around the world," he says.

"It showed what Australians can achieve in the pursuit of excellence. They should be given more chances to put on mega projects." But South Australian bureaucrats have recently rejected plans to revive the 16-hour series of four operas.

The German-based bass baritone who grew up in Melbourne is back to sing the lead in the Melbourne Symphony's production of Wagner's early opera The Flying Dutchman, in concert at Hamer Hall next week.

A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, Wegner is now a member of Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf but is invited to return to Australia regularly. "I feel very fortunate that my skills are needed here. There is nothing like singing for the national company. I feel so proud."

His performance as Alberich in Adelaide's Ring earned him a Helpmann Award, and he won two Green Room awards for Opera Australia productions of The Flying Dutchman. "Universal truths about human nature are shown brilliantly in Wagner's operas," he says. The Flying Dutchman, which premiered in Dresden in 1843, is one of the earliest works the composer included in his catalogue.

It is based on the legend of a ship's captain condemned to sail forever unless he found true love. "The Dutchman is such a broken character. He can't trust anyone and constantly fears being betrayed," Wegner says.

The lead female character, Senta, becomes obsessed with him. That role will be sung by the German soprano Gabriele Maria Ronge, who replaced Lisa Gasteen last week after the Australian injured her neck.

Wegner says the opera presents a challenge to every singer, because when Wagner wrote it he did not have the experience needed to protect the voice. "A singer's concentration has to be very high to sing without strain, and your body's co-ordination has to be just right — you certainly can't be tired," he says.

Wegner performed the role in Opera Australia's 1996 production directed by Barrie Kosky, who it was announced recently will take charge of Berlin's Komische Oper for five years from 2012.

"It's a company that is always looking for interesting directors," Wegner says. "For Kosky to be appointed, they must believe in his ability to show opera in a new light."

He says Kosky's directing is multi-layered, provoking an emotional response that can be positive and negative. "His work can be hard to understand but it is very powerful."

Wegner tells Europeans that Australian productions are free of the weight of tradition. "Australian work is often fresh and exciting," he says. "I hope that people here keep challenging audiences a little."

He regularly performs in Europe's leading opera houses, including Bayreuth, where the Festspielhaus was designed by Wagner. "The orchestra can never drown out the singer at Bayreuth because of the design of the pit," he says.

"Timing is always slightly different there because you can enjoy wallowing in the sound of the orchestra."

But it will be different performing in concert at Hamer Hall, with the full MSO on stage behind him under the direction of chief conductor Oleg Caetani. Wegner, who has performed with Caetani in Europe, as well as with fellow cast members Stuart Skelton and Ronge, describes Caetani as "a singer's conductor".

The Melbourne Symphony will perform Wagner's The Flying Dutchman in concert at Hamer Hall from 7.30pm next Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Go to www.mso.com.au.