Berkeley Opera's One Night Ring Cycle opens Saturday, July 31 with Richard Paul Fink as Wotan

Richard Paul Fink as Wotan in One Night

Berkeley Opera’s

Legend of The Ring, Wagner’s Epic Masterpiece

Condensed into One Evening

June 23, 2010, BERKELEY, CA – Tickets are going fast for the concluding production of Berkeley Opera’s 2010 31st season, Legend of the Ring. A one-evening condensation of Richard Wagner’s epic masterpiece by David Seaman of the Welsh National Opera for Pocket Opera Nuremberg, the production features renowned Wagnerian Richard Paul Fink in his role debut as Wotan and Jay Hunter Morris singing his first Siegfried.. Performances are on Saturday, July 31 and Friday, August 6, both at 8 p.m., Wednesday, August 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 8 at 2 p.m. All performances are at Berkeley Opera’s new home at the new, state-of-the-art (and "green") El Cerrito Performing Arts Theater, 540 Ashbury Avenue (at El Cerrito High School). There will be a free pre-performance talk on hour before each performance in the school library.

A revival of the 2004 production that was lauded as one of the top ten musical events of the year, this production also features soprano Marie Plette, acclaimed for appearances from Seattle’s Ring Cycle to Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly at San Francisco Opera, in the multiple roles of Woglinde, Freia, Sieglinde, Forest Bird and Gutrune. Dean Peterson, one of today’s most in-demand basses and a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, will sing the role of Hagen. Soprano Christine Springer reprises her 2004 role of Brünnhilde, former Merola and Adler Fellow Bojan Knezovic is Alberich, Stephen Rumph is Loge/Mime, and Valentina Osinski is Fricka. The conductor is Berkeley Opera Music Director Jonathan Khuner and production design and direction are by Artistic Director Mark Streshinsky. Projections are by Jeremy Knight. This production is supported in part by the Wagner Society of Northern California.

Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung is a mythic four-opera cycle normally performed over no less than four days. Wagner’s original intention to convey the saga in one opera has been brilliantly realized by David Seaman, who has crafted a one-evening condensation that maintains the richness and drama of Wagner’s iconic masterpiece. The work was first performed in Germany, where Die Welt’s review said "The reduction’s dramatic compression brings the characters more sharply into focus....Every bar is original Wagner in seamless juxtaposition..."

Tickets to Legend of the Ring are $65, $50 and $25 for adults, and $32, $25 and $15 for youth (17 and under). $15 Rush tickets for full-time students with ID are available at the door one hour before curtain, as available. Advance tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets, 1-800-838-3006 or online at www.berkeleyopera.org. Best availability is for the Wednesday and Friday performances. For more information, go to Berkeley Opera’s website at www.berkeleyopera.org.

Legend of the Ring at the Library

Mark Streshinsky will discuss Legend of the Ring at the Kensington Library, with singers providing musical examples, 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington on Monday, July 12 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

About Berkeley Opera

A not-for-profit performing arts organization, Berkeley Opera was founded in 1979 by Richard Goodman. Jonathan Khuner has led the company since 1994 and was joined this season by Mark Streshinsky as Artistic Director. Berkeley Opera is committed to presenting opera as lively, compelling musical theater that fuses music and drama to delight, move, and challenge its audiences, while remaining affordable and engaging. Offerings encompass a wide range of repertoire – the new and unusual as well as both favorites and overlooked gems by well-known composers. Time-honored classics have been presented in new ways to make them fresh for contemporary audiences, while always striving to honor the intentions of the composer. The company has recently decided to feature operas from three different musical eras each season – the Early/Classic. 19th Century Romantic, and 20th Century/Contemporary. Berkeley Opera has been called "one of the best community opera companies in California" and "one of the most interesting small companies in the nation."

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Discussion of Legend of the Ring

by Mark Streshinsky, with singers from the production

Monday, July 12, 7 pm

Kensington Library

61 Arlington Avenue, Kensington

Admission is free

For more info: www.BerkeleyOpera.org

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