The Viennese premiere cast of the Rheingold list all participants in the new productions of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold , which since the Vienna premiere in January 1878 at the k. u. k Hofoper , today's State Opera, took place.
Traditionally, there is considerable overlap between the Viennese and Bayreuth casts , as a number of singers were required in the ensemble of the Vienna Court Opera, who were essential for Richard Wagner's first performance of the Ring des Nibelungen . In the 20th and 21st centuries, the overlap can be explained by the fact that both the Bayreuth Festival and the Vienna State Opera endeavor to hire the best cast in the world. There is no direct competition as the Vienna State Opera is closed during the Bayreuth Festival season (in July and August).
The premiere cast
In the sixth column the number of performances of the respective production is given. For the first performance in 1877 and for the new production in 1907, neither a director nor a director is specified. The Bechtolf production is still on the program of the State Opera. The specified number of performances describes the status of January 2017.
Sources for the cast lists: Archives of the Vienna State Opera, program booklet for the Bechtolf production from May 2, 2009, program of the Vienna Opera from 1869 to 1955.
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Program Das Rheingold , Vienna State Opera, May 2, 2009