On May 6, 2022, Nashville Opera will close out its season with the company and city premiere of Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” at the Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

John Hoomes’ production comes in celebration of the Fisher Center’s opening, and will include 62 players in The Nashville Opera Orchestra, with four Wagner tubas. Nashville-based designer Matt Logan will create a new collection of costumes, and there will be a two-story HD video wall to display original imagery from lighting and video designer Barry Steele.

The cast will include Lester Lynch as Wotan, Othalie Graham as Freia, and Samuel Weiser as Alberich.

“Our production will be the full uncut version of the opera,” says Hoomes. “Every glorious note of music and every bit of drama, intact. And we’re producing the show as Wagner originally intended—as an extended one act with no intermission. Das Rheingold will clock in at around 2 hours and 30 minutes of nonstop, intense music drama. It really will be an all-consuming experience for our audience.”

A free, public lecture will be held on May 4 at the Noah Liff Opera Center, titled “Getting the Most out of ‘Das Rheingold.’” Hoomes will be joined on the panel by conductor Dean Williamson and Dr. Joy H. Calico of Vanderbilt University; Dr. Cheryll Carr of Belmont University will moderate.