Complete Ring in San Francisco in 2011

[PeggyR]

San Francisco Opera has announced the complete Ring cycle in 2011. I can't find any mention of this on BT, but please delete if this is a duplicate.

Here’s a link to the press release (PDF), and here’s one to the website (the button for the PDF version of the brochure is at the bottom).

From the pictures on the brochure, this appears to be ‘updated’ (groan) to the 1920s or thereabout. Any bets if the Wall Street crash stands in for Götterdämmerung?

[dirac]

This is great news, PeggyR, and thanks for posting it. Updated or no, it will be good to see the Ring in San Francisco again.

[dirac]

bart also had a post up and I seem to have made it go away. My apologies, bart.

There's been no previous mention, Peggy, so you're not duplicating. Not a big deal in any case.

[bart]

bart also had a post up and I seem to have made it go away.

Not a problem. It was just a few lines commenting on the scheduling: the entire ring each week for 3 weeks, "according to the composer's original intensions." I'm impressed.

I'd also love to hear people's thoughts about the casting, since I'm not up on the ups and downs of Wagnerian singers.

[Helene]

Nina Stemme is one of the "go-to" Brunnhildes now. She will sing the "Die Walkure" Brunnhilde in June 2010 and the Full Ring in 2011. San Francisco audiences have already heard Mark Delavan's Wotan in "Das Rheingold" in June 2008, and he also sings in June's "Die Walkure". Eva-Marie Westbroek, the reason I have a ticket in June, won't sing Siegliende in the full cycle; Anja Kampe will sing two and Heidi Melton one, and all of the other major roles -- Siegmund, Fricka, Hunding -- will be sung by different singers. Presenting "Das Rheingold" on its own, SFO was able to snag Jennifer Larmore to sing Fricka. Larissa Diadkova will sing the role in the full Ring.

For anyone who heard the Seattle Ring this past summer, Andrea Silvestrelli reprises his Fasolt and Daniel Sumegi his Faffner, but they switch Hunding (Sumegi in SF) and Hagen (Silvestrelli in SF). Jason Collins sang Froh beautifully, and he will sing it again in the full SFO Ring. Richard Paul Fink sang Alberich in the 2008 "Das Rheingold"; Gordon Hawkins, who sang Donner and Gunther this summer in Seattle, and who's been singing Alberich in the Los Angeles Ring performances leading up to the full Ring in 2010, will sing Alberich in SFO's full Ring as well.

Did anyone hear Delevan's Wotan last year?

[PeggyR]

...the entire ring each week for 3 weeks, "according to the composer's original intensions." I'm impressed.

I've already warned my boss that I'm taking a week vacation for whichever cycle I decide to attend.

By the way, tickets go on sale to the general public (i.e., not a subscriber or donor) in February 2010.

[bart]

I know this is off-topic as regards San Francisco, but the Met website has posted announcements for its new Ring cycle: due in 2012:

Guarantee your access to the best seats in the house for the Metropolitan Opera’s highly anticipated spring 2012 presentation of Robert Lepage’s new production of Wagner’s Ring cycle, conducted by Music Director James Levine. By becoming a Ring Leader, you will enjoy special access to the Met’s new Ring, which aspires to be one of the most magnificent Ring productions ever created. With its imaginative use of projections and interactive scenery, Lepage’s stunning production of La Damnation de Faust captivated opera fans last fall. The new Ring he is directing and designing will be a faithful representation of Wagner’s great operatic myth, while utilizing new theatrical technology.

Maestro Levine will be joined by an extraordinary cast of great Wagnerian singers: Bryn Terfel as Wotan, Deborah Voigt and Katarina Dalayman as Brünnhilde, Ben Heppner as Siegfried, Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund, and Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde.

This new Ring cycle will attract audiences from all over the world, so it is certain to sell out well in advance of its opening. By becoming a Ring Leader at one of the levels described below, you’ll ensure that you have access to tickets before the general public. You will also be invited to special events, lectures, and other activities connected to the new Ring production.

[richard53dog]

Maestro Levine will be joined by an extraordinary cast of great Wagnerian singers: Bryn Terfel as Wotan, Deborah Voigt and Katarina Dalayman as Brünnhilde, Ben Heppner as Siegfried, Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund, and Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. The Met has been plagued with singer cancellations lately, especially the high profile singers that are, ...ah..., let me say

"stretching the boundaries of their repertoire". There are a number of singer that list that I would rate as only so-so likely to actually show up and be able to sing.

Peter Gelb needs to really, really, really line up alternates for Siegfried, Brunnhilde, and Wotan.

OK, this is off topic for the thread. And I think San Francisco's cast isn't so starry but is MUCH more realistic.

[Helene]

I was poking around for dates for the SF Ring, since I'm filling in my 2011 datebook, and I just found in FAQ that OperaVision is being used for all cycles:

http://sfopera.com/p/?mID=199

OperaVision is a full screen with subtitles that can be seen from the Balcony. If I had done my reading properly, I would have applied for Balcony seats, since people in the Balcony will have a better view than I from Dress Circle.