Yuval Sharon to direct Met Opera's new stagings of Wagner's Ring Cycle and `Tristan und Isolde'

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Yuval Sharon, an American known for innovative productions, will direct the Metropolitan Opera’s next stagings of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and “Tristan und Isolde,” both starring soprano Lise Davidsen and conducted by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “After a while, it became kind of evident for us that is should be Yuval.” Sharon, 44, has presented a shortened version of Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung ” at parking lots in Detroit and Chicago, the third act of “Die Walküre” in Los Angeles and Detroit with a green screen for animation and computer graphics, and Puccini’s “La Bohème” reversing the order of acts to portray Mimì as getting healthier rather than succumbing to illness. New Yorker critic Alex Ross called it “the most witless and wasteful production in modern operatic history.” The Met gave the Ring’s U.S. premiere in 1889 and has presented five integrated cycle productions since the start of the 20th century that include Franz Hörth directing with Hans Kautsky’s sets, Herbert Graf directing with Lee Simonson’s sets, Herbert Von Karajan’s staging with Günther Schneider-Siemssen’s abstract sets, and Otto Schenk’s Ring with Schneider-Siemssen’s traditional sets. As part of the Met's pivot to contemporary works, Nézet-Séguin is scheduled to conduct the company premieres of Mason Bates’ “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay”, Gabriela Lena Frank’s “El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego”, Missy Mazzoli’s “Lincoln in the Bardo”, Carlos Simon’s “The Highlands" and Huang Ruo’s “The Wedding Banquet” along with also a new Robert Carsen staging of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” He will lead revivals of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Puccini’s “Tosca” and Wagner’s “Parsifal.” “It’s important to show a broad palette of composers,” Nézet-Séguin said.