Christine Brewer Replaced In MET's Der Ring des Nibelungen

Christine Brewer has withdrawn from her scheduled performances as Brünnhilde in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen due to a knee injury that prevents her from performing the staging. To replace her in the role, the Met has engaged Iréne Theorin for Die Walküre on April 6 (her company debut) and April 11 matinee, and Siegfried on April 18 matinee. Katarina Dalayman will replace Brewer singing performances of Brünnhilde in Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung on April 25, 28, and May 2. Linda Watson, already scheduled to sing the third complete Ring cycle, May 4 - 9, will also sing Siegfried on April 30.

Dates and casting for Brünnhilde are listed below; the singer for two dates is still to be announced. Brünnhilde appears in the final three operas of the Ring cycle (Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung).

Brünnhilde casting as of March 26:

April 6 Die Walküre - Iréne Theorin (debut)

April 11 mat. Die Walküre - Iréne Theorin

April 18 mat. Siegfried - Iréne Theorin

April 25 mat. Götterdämmerung - Katarina Dalayman

April 28 Die Walküre - Katarina Dalayman

April 30 Siegfried - Linda Watson

May 2 Götterdämmerung - Katarina Dalayman

May 5 Die Walküre - Linda Watson

May 7 Siegfried - Linda Watson

May 9 Götterdämmerung - Linda Watson

Iréne Theorin has sung Brünnhilde in complete Ring cycles in Nuremberg and at her home theater, the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. She has also sung the Siegfried Brünnhilde and the title role in Turandot at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and the role of Isolde in Brussels and at the Bayreuth Festival.

Katarina Dalayman, who sang Isolde earlier this season at the Met, will be making her company role debut as Brünnhilde. She has sung Brünnhilde in the Ring cycle in Stockholm and Aix-en-Provence, and will sing the role in Siegfried at the Salzburg Easter Festival in early April.

Linda Watson, who also sang Isolde at the Met this past December, has performed Brünnhilde at the Bayreuth Festival for the last three summers, from 2006 to 2008. These performances will be her first Met performances of the role. She is currently singing Brünnhilde in a new production of Die Walküre at the Los Angeles Opera.

This season's revival, conducted by James Levine, will be the final presentation of Otto Schenk's classic production of Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Alberto Mastromarino will sing the role of Alfio, replacing Charles Taylor at all remaining performances of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana this season: March 26, 30, April 2, 7, 10. Taylor will sing the role of Donner in Das Rheingold as scheduled on March 28 matinee, April 23, 27, and May 4.

 

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