My friend Nicole Piccolomini has been singing Erda in Wagner's DAS RHEINGOLD at Leipzig. Watch a trailer from the production here; Nicole appears at 3:55 in this film, singing Erda's Warning. She reports an eleven-minute ovation at the conclusion of the opening performance.
Nicole recently sang Ulrica in Verdi's UN BALLO IN MASCHERA at Catania, and made her Chicago Lyric Opera debut as Maddalena in RIGOLETTO. In June she will appear in the La Scala production of DIE WALKURE conducted by Daniel Barenboim. She will reprise her Erda in the Leipzig production next season, and sing the First Norn in GOTTERDAMMERUNG at Amsterdam in November 2013.