Opera Australia has today named the cast for its new, digital Ring Cycle, which opens at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPSC) in October.

The production, directed and designed by Chen Shi-Zheng, was scheduled to open in 2020, but had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, there are several changes to the cast including the major roles of Brünnhilde and Wotan, due to the unavailability of some of the original singers.

American soprano Lise Lindstrom will play the iconic role of Brünnhilde in the first two cycles. Australian soprano Anna Louise Cole will then step into the role. Cole was originally cast as Sieglinde (and the Brünnhilde cover). She will play Sieglinde in the first two cycles then make her role debut as Brünnhilde in the third – a huge break for the exceptionally talented young singer.

Cole is an alumna of OA’s Young Artist program and in 2019 was one of the 30 young Australian classical musicians selected by Limelight as stars of tomorrow in its Gen Next feature.

Lindstrom gave a magnificent performance when she played Brünnhilde in OA’s 2016 Ring Cycle in Melbourne, directed...