The Ring Cycle at San Francisco Opera this summer needs physically fit young men. Yes, who doesn't. However the production of this four part epic also needs children and those children will get minimum wage, unlike the adults. So far only the Met pays supers, please correct me if I'm wrong. Meanwhile, let those children then set an example.
Yes you may end up carrying a spear but it's who you carry it for. It's the quality of the experience. San Francisco Opera supers in the Ring Cycle get to work with director Francesca Zambello, who also directed Porgy & Bess; plus the first ever opera in 3D in theaters, and the Royal Opera's Carmen. Francesca's Ring looks Americanized and modernized.
If you take a gander at the cast list, who do you find but the likes of Brandon Jovanovich, besides Mark Delavan? Nina Stemme. Merola and Adler alums Heidi Melton and Daveda Karanas.
This Ring reunites conductor Donald Runnicles and Heidi Melton. Heidi if you recall, one of the American idols of opera, sang at Runnicles' Verdi Requiem with Wagnerian Stephanie Blythe when Patricia Racette had to step down suddenly due to illness. Wagnerian Stephanie in turn garnered much acclaim for her dignified and affectionate performance in Seattle's Ring, with Greer Grimsley as her husband Wotan, god of Valhalla.
Meanwhile, even recent productions vary as widely as the universe stretches.
Greer Grimsley--Seattle Opera's Wotan--appears on cover of Opera News June 2010
Seattle Opera's Ring Cycle: Women warriors need heroes and protection from cowards
Berkeley Opera announces major stars to perform in the Ring
Berkeley Opera's one night Ring Cycle opens July 31
Berkeley’s condensed Ring with innovative sets and expansive talent
Das Rheingold at the Met: New production broadcast worldwide (director from Cirque du Soleil)
The Museum of Performance and Design will hold a series of classes on the evolution of the Ring. MPD offers events nextdoor to the opera house at the Veterans' Memorial building on Van Ness, fourth floor.
The class (limited to 50 participants) taught by Professor William Eddelman, will meet on three consecutive Mondays (May 9, 16, and 23) from 7:00-8:50 pm at the Museum.
Registration: $60 MPD Members / $90 for non-Members
For more information: www.MPDSF.org or call (415) 225-4800 for reservations. General inquiries, info@mpdsf.org
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA HOLDS PUBLIC CASTING CALL
FOR
RING CYCLE SUPERNUMERARIES
CHILDREN AGES 6–14 AND PHYSICALLY FIT MEN NEEDED FOR COMPANY’S
SUMMER 2011 PRESENTATION OF WAGNER’S EPIC CYCLE
Application Deadline For Das Rheingold Child Supers March 28;
Die Walküre & Götterdämmerung Male Supers Casting Call April 13
San Francisco , March 21, 2011—San Francisco Opera announces a public casting call seeking children and physically fit men to appear in the Company’s highly anticipated Summer 2011 presentation of Richard Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). Ethnically diverse children ages 6–14 are needed as supernumeraries in Das Rheingold and physically fit men are needed as supernumeraries in Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung. Supernumeraries, also known as supers, act as extras (in costume with full make-up) on the stage in non-speaking, non-singing roles. Supers work alongside the many talented and acclaimed artists who bring San Francisco Opera productions to life on the stage of the historic War Memorial Opera House.
Child Supernumeraries/ Das Rheingold – Applications due March 28
Forty ethnically diverse children—boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 14—are needed as supernumeraries in Das Rheingold. Child supernumeraries are paid minimum wage for each hour they are in attendance at rehearsals and performances.
Requirements:
- Flexible schedule – planned rehearsals change frequently
- Acting/performing arts experience preferred but not required
- Children under age 18 require a work permit issued by the Department of Labor and a Coogan Trust account in their name
Time Commitment:
- If selected, the child may be called to any rehearsal between April 12 and June 14 and for afternoon/evening rehearsals on May 21, May 22, June 3, June 4 and June 10
- Performances: June 14, 21, 28, 2011
If you and your child are interested, please email a photo along with the child’s approximate
height, chest and waist measurements to supers@sfopera.com by March 28, 2011. For more information, call 415-565-6481. Super roles are limited and are cast at the discretion of the costume department.
Male Supernumeraries / Die Walküre &Götterdämmerung – Public Casting Call April 13, 7 p.m.
Physically fit men are needed as supernumeraries inDie Walküre and Götterdämmerung. This is a non-speaking, non-singing, non-paid volunteer role.
Requirements:
- Male adult
- Physically fit
- Flexible schedule
- Acting/performing arts experience preferred but not required
Time Commitment:
- If selected, you will be required to attend a minimum of eleven Götterdämmerung rehearsals from May 18 through June 2 and five Die Walküre rehearsals from June 7 through June 11. Additional rehearsals may also be called between April 14 and June 5 for Götterdämmerung and between April 14 and June 15 for Die Walküre
- Götterdämmerung performances: June 5, 19, 26 & July 3, 2011
- Die Walküre performances: June 15, 22, 29, 2011
April 13 Public Casting Call
A public casting call will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at Zellerbach B Rehearsal Hall (located at the corner of Hayes and Franklin Streets in San Francisco). To reserve a place in the casting call, members of the public interested in auditioning should call (415) 565-3200 and leave name and phone number, or send an email to supers@sfopera.com.Calls/emails will not be returned unless there is a change to the audition schedule. Super roles are limited and are cast at the discretion of the stage director.
About San Francisco Opera’s Der Ring des Nibelungen
One of the greatest works ever conceived for the operatic stage, Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) is presented in three complete cycles this summer (June 14–19, June 21–26, and June 28–July 3) in addition to stand-alone performances of Siegfried (May 29) and Götterdämmerung (June 5). The four operas in this new production by San Francisco Opera artistic adviser and internationally celebrated director Francesca Zambello —Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung—are presented for the first time as a complete cycle.
Maestro Donald Runnicles , one of the world’s most acclaimed Wagner conductors and former San Francisco Opera music director, will lead the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus in these performances that feature an internationally renowned cast featuring some of the greatest Wagnerian singers of our time. Zambello and set designer Michael Yeargan use imagery from various eras of American history to illuminate Wagner’s legend in which human virtue and nature’s sanctuary fall prey to greed and lust. San Francisco Opera has long been regarded as one of the world’s leading companies to present the entire Ring cycle, with past acclaimed presentations at the War Memorial Opera House in 1935, 1936 (omitting Siegfried), 1972, 1985, 1990 and 1999.
For more info, www.SFOpera.com
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