The date here broadcast at 10 AM on KING FM was recorded August, 2005. Cast information and a full synopsis are found below. Whether you are new to the Ring or a long time fan, enjoy fun facts surrounding the 2005 Ring and tips on what to listen for in a blog article from dramaturg Jonathan Dean.
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Cast
(Listed in order of appearance)
CONDUCTOR: Robert Spano
WOGLINDE, Wendy Hill
WELLGUNDE, Mary Phillips
FLOSSHILDE, Jennifer Hines
ALBERICH, Richard Paul Fink
FRICKA, Stephanie Blythe
WOTAN, Greer Grimsley
FREIA, Marie Plette
FASOLT, Stephen Milling
FAFNER, Gidon Saks
FROH, Thomas Rolf Truhitte
DONNER, Gordon Hawkins
LOGE, Peter Kazaras
MIME, Thomas Harper
ERDA, Ewe Podleś
AUDIO ENGINEER: Matt Sutton
Orchestra
Violin I
Walter Schwede, Concertmaster
Simon James, Asst. Concertmaster
Jennifer Bai
Mariel Bailey
Cecilia Buss
Xiao-Po Fei
Virginia Hunt Luce
John Pilskog
Mikhail Shmidt
Clark Story
Marjorie Talvi
Jeanine Wells Yablonsky
Kyung Chee Yeung
Arthur Zadinsky
Violin II
Michael Miropolsky, Principal
Kathleen Stern, Asst. Principal
Gennady Filimonov
Stephen Bryant
Linda Cole
Wesley Fisk
Ingrid Fredrickson
Sande Gillette
Larisa Miropolsky
Eric Scott
Laurel Wells
Andrew Yeung
Viola
Dorothy Shapiro, Principal
Timothy Hale, Asst. Principal
Arie Schachter
Betty Agent
Vincent Comer
Wesley Anderson Dyring
Jan-Marie Joyce
Scott Ligocki
Laura Renz
Cello
Susan Williams, Principal
Vivian Gu, Asst. Principal
Theresa Benshoof, Asst. Principal
Bruce Bailey
Paige Bilski
Roberta Downey
Richard Eckert
Charles Jacot
Rajan Krishnaswami
Matthew Millar
Bass
Todd Larsen, Principal
Ronald Simon, Asst. Principal
Nancy Page Griffin
Joe Kaufman
Bruce Lawrence
Ben Musa
Stephen Schermer
Flute
Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby, Principal
Karla Flygare
Erin James
Kirsten G. James
Piccolo
Kirsten G. James
Erin James
Oboe
Nathan Hughes, Principal
John DeJarnatt
Bernard Shapiro
English Horn
Glen Danielson, Principal
Clarinet
Christoper Sereque, Principal
Laura DeLuca
Sean Osborne
Bass Clarinet
Jennifer Nelson
Bassoon
Seth Krimsky
Paul Rafanelli
Michael Gamburg
Contrabassoon
Michael Gamburg
French Horn
Mark Robbins, Principal
Rodger Burnett, Asst. Principal
Adam Iascone
Susan Carroll
Benjamin Kinsman
Jeff Fair
James Weaver
Joe Berger
Larry Johnson
Trumpet
David Gordon, Principal
Richard Pressley
Justin Emerich
Bass Trumpet
David L. Ritt, Principal
Trombone
Hamod Abu-Eid, Principal
Don Immel
Tom Joyce
Stephen Fissel
Tuba
Christopher Olka, Principal
Tenor Tuba
Jeff Fair
James Weaver
Bass Tuba
Joe Berger
Sue Carroll
Larry Johnson
Timpani
Michael Crusoe, Principal
Ronald Johnson
Percussion
Randolph Baunton, Principal
Michael Clark
Matthew Kocmieroski
Rob Tucker
Harp
Valerie Muzzolini, Principal
John Carrington
Jill Whitman
Callista McKasson
Chorus
Soprano
Donna Baldwin
Emily Clubb
Karen Early Evans
Melanie Hingson
Dana Johnson
Barbara Jones
Mary McLaughlin
Eleanor Stallcop-Horrox
Mezzo-Soprano
Celia Kerr
Jean Leavens
YeonSoo Lee
Carmen Leon
Gail Neil
Diane Radabaugh
Tenor
Guy Bogar
David Bukey
Leodigario del Rosario
Michael Dudley
Gunnar Goerlitz
Thomas Green
John Gulhaugen
Auston James
Stephen Leigh Jones
Dustin Kasper
Geam Lim
Bob Leavens
Matt Lecar
Ian Lindsay
Charles Logan
Roger Longbotham
Jim Miller
Glenn Nielsen
Rick Olsen
Philip Parham
Karl Reyes
George Scott
Daniel Shelhamer
Frederick Soo
Brian Stachurski
Marlon Trigg
Vince Veile
Bryan Webb
Bass/Baritone
Garry Aganesyants
Michael Beetham
Gregory Carroll
Monty Carter
Jay Cook
Michael Dunlap
James Elliott
Jon Farmer
Ryan Francis
Craig Grayson
Glenn Guhr
Tom Hingson
Leo Jackson
Gregory Lewis
Gene Ma
Gabriel McDonald
Erik Miles
Eric Molgard
Michael Monnikendam
Justin Moore
Steve Perry
Skip Satterwhite
Friedrich Schlott
Timothy Sexton
Jeremy Shilley
John Wagner
Karl Wangler
Ron Wohl
Philip Woodward
Daniel Yarr
Brett Youngquist
Full Synopsis
Scene 1
As the Rhine Daughters swim in the Rhine, they are approached by the dwarf Alberich. They taunt him, refusing his amorous advances. When the Rhine gold glitters in the sun’s rays, the Rhine Daughters explain the magic of the gold: He who forswears love can forge the gold into a ring with which he can rule the world. Infuriated by their mockery, Alberich curses love and flees with the gold.
Scene 2
Wotan has asked the giants, brothers Fasolt and Fafner, to build a home for the gods and has agreed to give them Freia, the goddess of youth, beauty, and love, as payment. Wotan’s wife, Fricka, reminds the god of his promise and warns him that the giants are about to claim their reward. Wotan tells her that Loge, the god of fire, will find another way of satisfying the giants. Loge, however, has been unable to find anything that the giants might prefer to woman’s beauty and love. In all the world, he explains, only Alberich has ever forsworn love. Loge tells the gods of the gold that Alberich has amassed through the power of his ring, and Wotan decides to steal it. The giants agree to accept the gold as a substitute for Freia, but they take the goddess as hostage for the treasure. Wotan and Loge descend to Nibelheim in search of Alberich’s hoard.
Scene 3
In Nibelheim, Loge and Wotan find Alberich’s brother, Mime, who has made for Alberich the Tarnhelm, a magic helmet that enables the wearer to change shapes and become invisible. When Alberich comes upon Wotan and Loge, he threatens them with destruction through the power of the ring. Loge tricks Alberich into demonstrating his magic helmet. When Alberich changes himself into a toad, Wotan and Loge capture him.
Scene 4
Wotan refuses to free Alberich until he delivers the entire hoard of gold, including the Tarnhelm and the ring. When Alberich (again in human form) refuses to surrender the ring, Wotan tears it from his finger. Alberich utters the curse: The ring will bring death and destruction to all who possess it. The giants return and instruct that the gold be piled in front of Freia until they can no longer see her. The Tarnhelm is added to the pile to hide Freia’s hair, but when Freia’s eye can still be seen through the pile of gold, Wotan refuses to fill the gap with the ring, Wotan refuses to fill the gap with the ring. The earth goddess, Erda, appears and tells Wotan that he must at all costs avoid the ring, which spells doom for the gods. Eventually, Wotan acquiesces. The ransom complete, the giants return Freia to the gods. The power of Alberich’s curse becomes clear when Fasolt claims the ring for himself and his brother Fafner kills him.
Donner calls the clouds together to clear the atmosphere and Froh creates a rainbow bridge. Wotan, naming his castle in the sky Valhalla, invites Fricka to join him there. As the gods proceed toward Valhalla, the Rhine Daughters bewail the loss of the gold, and Loge foresees that the gods are moving toward their doom.