WNO Postpones 2009 Ring–Possible Impact on SF Ring

Submitted by Sun, 2008/11/09 - 09:03

Hello, all:

Perhaps you have already seen this. WNO is postponing indefinitely its [i]Ring [/i]cycle, originally scheduled for November 2009:

[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/07/AR20081…]

I attended today’s matinee of [i]L’Elisir [/i](great, BTW), and attended the TalkBack event with David Gockley that followed.

Gockley anticipated the obvious question. The SF [i]Ring[/i] may be affected by WNO’s decision. According to him, [i]Gotterdaemmerung[/i] is not yet completed. If WNO does not get back on track and reschedule its[i] Ring [/i]soon, SFO would face the prospect of funding [i]Gotterdammerung [/i]all by itself. And he made it sound like that might be a difficult decision, given the financial climate and the impact on opera across America (Opera Pacific shut down, of course; NYCO is in serious trouble; and Baltimore Opera has apparently suspended its season as well).

The impression I got-–based on what he said, how he said it, nonverbals (and therefore admittedly this is just a guess on my part)—was that this news is cause for worry, though not necessarily panic, for all of us looking forward to having the [i]Ring[/i] here in 2011.

If I recall correctly, Gockley indicated that a decision may have to be made early next year—depending on developments with WNO. [i]Walkure[/i] is still definitely on for May-June 2010 (along with two Puccini operas, a Strauss opera and a significant amount of Verdi).

Duane Knight