Washington National Opera Presents Zambello Helmed 'SIEGFRIED' 5/2 - 5/17

Washington National Opera, under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, opens its monumental production of Siegfried, running for five performances, May 2 to 17 at the Kennedy Center Opera House. In this new production, a company premiere conducted by Michael Güttler, acclaimed director Francesca Zambello sets Wagner's tale within the context of the American experience, a concept The New York Times hailed as "fresh and impressive." Pär Lindskog and Iréne Theorin make their WNO debuts as Siegfried and Brünnhilde, respectively, in a cast that also features Alan Held at Wotan/The Wanderer and Gordon Hawkins as Alberich. Siegfried is performed in German with English supertitles. See below for complete event and production information. 

Commenting on her production, director Francesca Zambello offers that "great myths never disappear. But when our creative team began working on the Ring cycle about five years ago and decided to view it through the lens of our own American ‘mythology,' we couldn't have dreamed just how relevant it would be today." Members of Zambello's internationally renowned creative team include costume designer Catherine Zuber and set designer Michael Yeargan, both Tony Award winners, along with lighting designer Mark McCullough and video projection designer Jan Hartley.

Remarking on the uncommon timeliness of Siegfried, Zambello continues: "We see the war between the ‘haves' and the ‘have-nots' reaching critical mass. We see the common people in abject poverty, and the natural world ravaged by technology and conspicuous consumption. We see a formerly wealthy and powerful mogul brought to his knees by his own greed and arrogance, and his once-privileged family torn apart by its short-sightedness and recklessness. We see a heroic woman who's been disempowered by a man who felt threatened by her. And finally we see a young, optimistic, vigorous outsider of mixed roots and humble upbringing arrive, ready to overthrow the old order."

The production features an internationally celebrated cast of Wagnerians, including Swedish tenor Pär Lindskog in the title role of Siegfried and Swedish soprano Iréne Theorin as Brünnhilde, both in their company debuts. In the same heroic role with the Royal Opera Stockholm, Opera Now praised Lindskog, noting his "lyrically tinged, youthful tenor." Theorin, who also makes her American debut in this production, has been hailed as the "highlight of highlights...the audience's darling" (Das Opernglas) for her performance as Brünnhilde at Staatstheater Nürnberg. Bass-baritone Alan Held and baritone Gordon Hawkins return to continue in their respective roles of Wotan and Alberich (Held appeared as Wotan in Die Walküre, 2007; Hawkins portrayed Alberich in Das Rheingold, 2006). Both frequent WNO guest artists, Held's Wotan was described as a "dazzling dramatic performance" (The Washington Times) and Hawkins was hailed as "simply the best Alberich" (The Washington Post). Rounding out the cast are Andreas Conrad as Mime, Gidon Saks as the dragon Fafner, Nancy Maultsby as Erda and WNO Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Micaëla Oeste as the Woodbird.

Leading the cast and Washington National Opera Orchestra and Chorus is German conductor Michael Güttler, also in his WNO debut. Maestro Güttler is replacing WNO Music Director Heinz Fricke, who asked to be released from this production and will return to Washington in October 2009 for Ariadne auf Naxos and in November 2009 for concert performances of Götterdämmerung.

Siegfried tells the story of the orphaned son of Siegmund and Sieglinde, who was raised by the dwarf Mime, brother of Alberich. Mime secretly desires to use the magic sword Nothung to take over the world, but knows that only a true hero can piece together the fragments of the blade. Fulfilling a prophecy of Wotan, king of the gods, the fearless Siegfried forges the mighty sword, slays the dragon Fafner and takes the cursed, all-powerful ring. Upon killing the dragon, Siegfried unintentionally tastes its blood, which allows him to understand the song of a nearby Woodbird, who warns Siegfried of Mime's plan to kill him and steal the ring. The forest creature then leads him to the beautiful Brünnhilde, who has been placed in an enchanted sleep by her father Wotan, and surrounded by a great fire. When Siegfried confronts Wotan, disguised as the Wanderer, and revives the sleeping Brünnhilde, he unwittingly sets in motion the end of the gods' reign. A magical tale of mythic proportions, Siegfried is a joyful celebration of awakening manhood and the discovery of love and fear, even amidst the downfall of the gods.

Siegfried is the third of four full-length operas that comprise German composer Richard Wagner's epic Ring cycle. The composition of the full score and libretto took place over roughly 26 years, from 1848 to 1874. The complete Ring cycle (the first to include Siegfried) premiered in 1876 at the Bayreuth Festival Theater in Germany, which Wagner himself built for the purpose of performing the Ring as he imagined it. All four operas follow the story of the gods of Valhalla and the epic struggle to rule the world. Loosely based on German and Scandinavian myths and folktales, Der Ring des Nibelungen is widely considered one of Wagner's greatest works.

In November 2008, Washington National Opera announced the postponement of the company's first Ring cycle, originally scheduled for November 2009. In lieu of the Ring cycle, WNO will offer concert performances of Götterdämmerung (November 7 and 15), as well as a complete season of grand opera.

· Tickets range from $45 to $300 and are currently available through WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or 800.US.OPERA, or online at www.dc-opera.org. Limited availability for all performances.

· All performances of Washington National Opera's Siegfried are held in the Kennedy Center Opera House, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.

· Casting, program, schedules and pricing are subject to change without notice.

 

 

 

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