(©Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)

The San Francisco Opera has announced plans for the Company’s upcoming presentation of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung (Der Ring des Nibelungen).”

The company noted that it will present the tetraoly in summer 2028 with director Francesca Zambello reviving her acclaimed production. The cast will include Tamara Wilson as Brünnhilde, Brian Mulligan as Wotan, and Simon O’Neill as Siegfried.

Music Director Eun Sun Kim will lead her first Ring and will begin her journey with the cycle’s prologue, “Das Rheingold,” in June 2027 and with part two, “Die Walküre,” in the fall of 2027. In late spring 2028, she will conduct single performances of “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung” in the weeks before the full cycles begin.

In a statement General Director Matthew Shilvock said, “San Francisco is a city with an extraordinary Wagnerian tradition. Since 1935, San Francisco Opera has brought to life Wagner’s epic journey of the Ring with the most exciting artists in the world. I am profoundly grateful to Eun Sun Kim for the journey she is now taking us on, building a new chapter in that storied Wagnerian history. The current triumph she is having with Parsifal is a thrilling indication of what is to come in 2028. Eun Sun probes so insightfully into these works, illuminating their humanity in a way that reverberates with audiences at a deep level. Her interpretation will connect so profoundly with Francesca Zambello’s spectacular production which encapsulates the immediate connection of Wagner’s drama for audiences today. The Ring is the story of humanity, and this set of cycles comes at a time when collective story telling is so achingly needed in the world. These cycles will be moments for us to come together as a community, on both sides of the proscenium, and find shared meaning in one of the most awe-inspiring works ever created.”

Musc Director Eun Sun Kim added, “As we begin preparations for Wagner’s ‘Ring cycle,’ I am honored and humbled to share in this feat with the extraordinary musicians comprising San Francisco Opera, my musical home. It is my privilege to have contributed to our incredible history of performing Wagner’s magnificent scores since San Francisco Opera’s founding seasons, and I am thrilled to plan for its future life. I look forward to engaging in a musical dialogue between the orchestra, singers, audience, and myself, delving into the complex themes of human nature written on every page of Wagner’s scores that are both timeless and timely.”

Zambello also noted, “I worked on my first ‘Ring cycle’ 40 years ago, and it’s been a recurring soundtrack for my life ever since, coming to mind in times of intense emotion and change. Wagner understood something about the human condition, in all its complexity, and was able to translate that into the most overwhelming musical expression imaginable. Because Wagner’s canvas is broad and universal, it has invited generations of artists to bring their own ideas to new productions. As I began to consider a new production in the early days of the 21st century, I found that American iconography offered a compelling road map for Wagner’s monumental score. I wanted to focus on humans’ historical propensity to destroy the natural world, as well as the role of women—particularly Brünnhilde—to emerge as healers. I believe that Brünnhilde is the true hero of the ‘Ring.’ Her father is seeking a perfect hero, but his idea of a hero is rooted in old ideas, the same ideas that have brought about so much violence and destruction. Fifteen years later, I’m excited to dive back into the production with an extraordinary new cast headed by close colleagues Tammy, Simon and Brian, along with Eun Sun conducting her first ‘Ring.’ Together, we all will discover the work anew in the rehearsal room, as each artist brings their own human experience to the task of telling this evergreen story.”

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