A new chapter for "Ring": no Jane Eaglen in 2009

When Seattle Opera stages its Wagnerian "Ring" in 2009, it will be without the company's most famous Valkyrie: soprano Jane Eaglen.

Seattle Opera general director Speight Jenkins confirmed yesterday that Eaglen, who has sung the role of the Valkyrie Brünnhilde here in 2000, 2001 and 2005, will not appear in the next "Ring."

Jenkins says he made the decision a year ago, following a period of considerable deliberation, and informed Eaglen's manager, Jenny Rose. Rose confirmed that Eaglen will not sing in the 2009 "Ring," but both she and Eaglen declined to comment further.

"No one values Jane more than I do," Jenkins says. "But I got the sense that people wanted to see a new Brünnhilde, because I heard from subscribers, some board members and other people, some of whom gave us money and some who didn't, that they wanted somebody new. This is the third repetition of the current 'Ring,' and one frequently makes changes. I made the decision that it was appropriate to make a change in the role of Brünnhilde."

The role will be sung by Janice Baird, an American-born soprano who now lives in Germany and Spain.

Cast changes in a "Ring" are nothing new, particularly over a span of several years. But Eaglen has had a special relationship with Seattle Opera ever since her U.S. debut here in "Norma" 13 years ago. She stepped in to that production on short notice (after another soprano canceled), and she did so on several other occasions — including an "Ariadne Auf Naxos" for which she learned the German-language title role (she had previously sung it in English) and the staging in three days. It was here that she sang her first Isolde (in "Tristan und Isolde"), a role that she has performed to international acclaim.

Eaglen, who now lives in Seattle, also has been a frequent guest at the Seattle Symphony, and has assumed a part-time teaching position at the University of Washington.

Asked whether Eaglen's size had been a factor (she is a large soprano in an era that is tough on big singers, as seen recently in the firing — and subsequent slimming — of soprano Deborah Voigt), Jenkins said it was not an issue in his decision.

Details of the 2009 "Ring" casting will be announced later, Jenkins said.

"This 'Ring' will be 59 percent new people," he added.

"I felt this was the only thing to do. You can't bring the world in to see the same thing time after time."

Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@seattletimes.com