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 in Die 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 Walkürerehearsals 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 entireRing cycle, with past acclaimed presentations at the War Memorial Opera House in 1935, 1936 (omitting Siegfried), 1972, 1985, 1990 and 1999.
12 comments:
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
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My reaction to this is one big yawn.
In my opinion the true hardcore Wagnerian listens to Wagner's music dramas merely as absolute music -- tissues of instrumental and vocal sound -- and derives intense aesthetic pleasure from the ceaseless glow and richness of the musical/vocal fabric.
One could go further and assert that we love and are more sensitive towards these masterpieces since we don't need the "props" of the drama, libretto, staging and acting.
And I'm NOT just talking about the 'bleeding chunks' and famous 'highlights' from Tristan , Meistersinger , The Ring and Parsifal.
There is a test:
If a person loves Siegfried (all 240 minutes) as much as the other operas and prefers to listen to it on CD....
Someone who adores the raspy voice of the Mime, Siegfried, The Wanderer, Erda and so on....
That, ladies and gentleman, is a genuine, hardcore Wagnerian.
Wagner wrote for the stage. That is all.
"Wagner wrote for the stage. That is all"
But to quote Harold Schonberg:
"Operas don't remain in the repertory because they have great librettos. They remain because the music is great..."
This is an undeniable fact.
I personally find most every note that Wagner wrote to be mesmerizing. Yes, there is some dross and uninspired passages here and there but it doesn't amount to much in my book.
The very similar message that went out to longtime supernumeraries at the opera was calling for "EXTREMELY PHYSICALLY FIT MEN." I am toying with putting the slogan onto a black T-shirt (they're slimming) that all the fat old farts like myself can wear to the audition.
That is a fine idea, Mike.
Yeah, what do they mean by physically fit, and what are they expecting us to do?
I mean, are they expecting us to appear nude? Not that I wouldn't do it ...
They mean "thin" and possibly "muscular."
The supers in Die Walkuere come on stage at a couple of points and represent Hunding's men. (This is not in the libretto.) The supers in Goetterdaemmerung are presumably Hagen's men; they would appear in Acts II and III.
Well, I'm 5 feet and 9 inches tall, slightly muscular and weigh 138 pounds.
But I have dark brown hair and brown eyes... :-(
Damn und blast, as of Friday my daughter no longer qualifies as one of the children (had visions of getting to hear rehearsals >sigh<).
Oh, too bad, Sibyl!!
I am a fan of that part of the Zambello prod--Hunding's toughs in the cheap looking leather jackets, and the inside of the little house with stuffed animal heads on the wall, has a Blue Velvet feel or something that nicely evokes how threatening Hunding is and makes plain why Sieglinde's life is so unpleasant. Tho I don't see why they need to be particularly fit...
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