Collection of talent includes many making Seattle debut

Opera fans will see some important new faces in this incarnation of Seattle Opera's "Ring." Here are some of the major debutantes:

Janice Baird, Brünnhilde

The New York-born dramatic soprano, a renowned Brünnhilde and veteran of many European Wagner productions, has already sung the title role in "Elektra" here to critical acclaim. Now living in Germany and Spain, Baird is tall, photogenic and unpretentious about her many achievements onstage. She's also a gifted equestrienne who has ridden her horses in dressage events.

Stig Andersen, Siegfried

Andersen, a Danish-born tenor, will make his Seattle Opera debut in a role he has sung in several leading opera houses. He also has sung title roles in four other Wagnerian operas (including Tristan in "Tristan und Isolde"). He's also a director, having staged both Wagner's "Götterdämmerung" and "Tristan und Isolde" in his home country. A New York Times reviewer called Andersen "probably the best Siegfried we have right now."

Stuart Skelton, Siegmund

The rehearsal buzz about Skelton is extremely exciting. The Australian tenor makes his Seattle Opera debut in a role he previously sang in Zurich, Hamburg, and at the State Opera of South Australia. With a repertoire spanning several centuries, Skelton recently sang Peter Grimes at English National Opera, a role he will repeat this fall.

Kobie van Rensburg, Loge

The South African tenor's international roles extend from early operas of Monteverdi and Handel to Mozart, Verdi and (of course) Wagner. The role of the canny Loge marks his Seattle debut.

Dennis Petersen, Mime

Also making his Seattle debut, Petersen has sung Mime at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and he has a wide-reaching repertoire (from Mozart to Britten and Janacek).

Andrea Silvestrelli, Fasolt and Hagen

Silvestrelli has sung both these roles at the Chicago Lyric Opera and has sung in most of the world's great opera houses in works extending from Mozart and Verdi to Bartok.

Melinda Bargreen