Seattle Opera Continues Wagnerian Legacy into 2014

Greer Grimsley as Wotan at Seattle Opera
(Photo: Rozarii Lynch/Seattle Opera)

"Seattle Opera, also known as America's House of Wagner, brings back its popular production of the composer's Ring cycle in 2013. It's the same production that premiered in 2001, but with a few cast changes. Alwyn Mellor, as Brünnhilde, and Stefan Vinke, as Siegfried, will make their company debuts in 2013. The 2013 Ring will be the ninth and final cycle overseen by Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins. He plans to retire in September, 2014. The cast includes: Asher Fisch (Conductor); Stephen Wadsworth (Director); Alwyn Mellor* (Brünnhilde), Stefan Vinke* (Siegfried), Greer Grimsley (Wotan), Stephanie Blythe (Fricka), Stuart Skelton (Siegmund), Margaret Jane Wray (Sieglinde), Richard Paul Fink (Alberich). *Seattle Opera debut

Wagnerians Greer Grimsley and Stephanie Blythe (Photo: Rozarii Lynch/Seattle Opera)

Tickets to the 2013 Ring will be available in fall 2012. Seattle Opera also announced a production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg in August, 2014. Not seen in Seattle for 25 years, it is Wagner’s only comedy. The cast will be announced next year." [Source]

San Francisco Opera Announces Wagnerian Cast Change

Tenor replacement: Jay Hunter Morris

"David Gockley, General Director of San Francisco Opera, has announced a casting change in the Company’s upcoming presentation of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). American tenor Jay Hunter Morris will now sing the title role of “Siegfried” replacing acclaimed Wagernian tenor Ian Storey, who was originally announced to sing the role in both Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, the third and fourth operas of the composer’s epic four-opera cycle. Mr. Storey will only sing in Götterdämmerung, a performance that will mark both his Company and role debuts. The premiere of Siegfried is slated for Sunday, May 29th followed by the premiere of Götterdämmerung a week later on Sunday, June 5th. Three complete cycles of the Ring will be presented at the War Memorial Opera House from June 14th to July 3rd, 2011." [Source]