Atlanta Opera's 'Ring' Cycle to Continue With SIEGFRIED This Spring

The Atlanta Opera will continue its 2024-25 mainstage season with General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun's new production of Siegfried, the third opera in Wagner's monumental Ring cycle (April 26–May 4). Featuring Stefan Vinke, Greer Grimsley, and Lise Lindstrom, Siegfried is directed by Zvulun in collaboration with scenic and projections designer Erhard Rom and lighting designer Robert Wierzel, with costumes by European Opera Prize-winner Mattie Ullrich. The same team has supported each of Zvulun's new productions in The Atlanta Opera's groundbreaking Ring cycle, and for Siegfried they expand on their vision from the first two productions, creating a setting equally inspired by ancient Germanic folklore and today's Marvel multiverse. The production will be filmed by The Atlanta Opera's Film Studio, led by Felipe Barral, and available to livestream at
 
Siegfried's outstanding cast will be led by heldentenor Stefan Vinke as the title character. Since debuting in the role in 2006, he has become globally renowned as an interpreter of all Wagner's great tenor roles, including multiple productions and roles at the Bayreuth Festival and Ring cycles at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Metropolitan Opera; Wiener Staatsoper; Deutsche Oper Berlin; Salzburg Festival; and many more. He is joined by bass-baritone Greer Grimsley, another world-renowned Wagnerian who made his company debut in the role of Wotan with TAO's Das Rheingold two seasons ago and reprises the role in Siegfried. Brünnhilde is sung by Lise Lindstrom, about whose portrayal Australian Stage raved: “Lindstrom has been the world's favourite Brünnhilde for the last four years, and now inhabits this character, both dramatically and musically, with such unremitting intensity that I can say that I have never seen such a great Brünnhilde.” Filipino tenor Rodell Rosel sings the role of Mime; Zachary Nelson continues the role of Alberich, in which he debuted two seasons ago in TAO's Das Rheingold; Hungarian-Romanian bass Alexander Köpeczi sings Fafner; Lindsay Ammann sings Erda, a role she also undertook in Francesca Zambello's Washington National Opera production; and young Venezuelan coloratura soprano Amber Norelai sings the Forest Bird. Many of these singers are making debuts with The Atlanta Opera with this production, including Stefan Vinke, Lise Lindstrom, Rodell Rosel, Lindsay Ammann, and Amber Norelai, while for Alexander Köpeczi it will be not only his company debut but his U.S. debut as well.
 
An additional star of this production of Siegfried is the dragon, the construction of which is a collaboration with the Center for Puppetry Arts with award-winning designer Jason Hines – who has designed and built puppets for Alton Brown's documentary Good Eats: Reloaded and Adult Swim – as the architect. Mexican-born Music Director of the Detroit Opera Roberto Kalb guest conducts the production, after making a lauded company debut last season leading TAO's Rigoletto. After leading the St. Louis Symphony in a production of Awakenings with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Today declared that “Roberto Kalb exerted complete mastery in his clear and concise conducting, which inspired superior music-making from his cast and orchestra.”
 
Zvulun comments: “Siegfried is referred to as the ‘scherzo' of the Ring cycle. It glows with energy and optimism that we all need right now. Our adventure continues as we bring to Atlanta some of the leading Wagnerian singers of our time: Stefan Vinke, Greer Grimsley, Lise Lindstrom and Alexander Köpeczi led by maestro Roberto Kalb.  Designers Erhard Rom, Mattie Ullrich and Robert Wierzel return to Atlanta and are joined by puppet master Jason Hines from Atlanta's own Center for Puppetry Arts as they create our showstopping dragon. The penultimate installment of the Ring is going to be an unforgettable performance.”

Completion of the Ring cycle in 2025–26

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