(Image Source – Lyric Opera of Chicago)

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that it will cancel its production for Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen.”

The tetralogy was set to run in three distinct cycles between April 13 through May 3. The first set of performances was set for April 13-18; the second was set for April 20-25; and the final cycle was scheduled for April 27-May 3, 2020.

“The health, safety and security of our audiences, artists, and employees is our highest priority,” said Anthony Freud, Lyric’s general director, president & CEO in a press release. “While this decision is very difficult, there was no other option.”

The production was set to feature Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde, Burkhard Fritz as Siegfried, Brian Mulligan  and Alan Held as Wotan and Die Wanderer, Elisabet Strid and Laura Wilde as Sieglinde, Brandon Jovanovich as Siegmund and Froh, Stephen Milling as HUnding and Hagen, Robert Brubaker as Loge, Matthias Klink as Mime, Soloman Howard as Fafner, Zachary Nelson as Donner, Stefan Margita as Loge, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as Fricka and Waltraute, Ronnita Miller as Erda, and Henning von Schulman as Fasolt.

The production was to be directed by Sir David Pountney with Sir Andrew Davis conducting the cycle for just the second time in his career.

Editor’s Note: OperaWire interviewed several artists attached to this production and planned on publication in a build-up to its opening. Out of respect for the time and dedication to planning this project with the artists and Lyric Opera of Chicago, OperaWire will endeavor to publish each one over coming weeks.