Radical film director takes on Wagner

Triumph: Björk and Lars von Trier at Cannes

Radical Danish director Lars von Trier is to stage Wagner's Ring Cycle at the prestigious Bayreuth Festival.

The film-maker, whose latest movie Dancer in the Dark won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, will stage Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen in 2006.

Festival director Wolfgang Wagner, the 82-year-old grandson of the composer, said that von Trier attended performances at the festival this year.

Von Trier: Made commercials before his feature debut

"He has a particular affinity and artistic relation with this work," said Mr Wagner, adding that he is a fan of von Trier's films.

Danish-born von Trier is a member of the Dogme 95 school of film-making which aims to make film-making as natural a process as possible.

Daylight, hand-held cameras, improvised acting and limited dialogue are features of his work.

Musicals

In his musical film Dancer in the Dark, von Trier directed pop singer Björk in the story of a Czech immigrant who is going blind.

She lives out a fantasy life inspired by Hollywood musicals.

Emily Watson starred in Breaking The Waves

Icelandic singer Björk also won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her performance and wrote the soundtrack for the movie.

Von Trier captured international attention in 1996 with his film Breaking the Waves.

He is no stranger to controversy - his film The Idiots offended censors in many countries by including an orgy scene.

The Richard Wagner Festival is held in Bayreuth, Bavaria on an annual basis and celebrated its 125th anniversary this year.

Christian Thielmann has already been named to conduct the performance of the Ring which von Trier will direct.