SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) 鈥 The Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains had vanished into the night sky by the time Ryan Speedo Green sang his first words as Wotan in Wagner乌鸦传媒 鈥淒ie Walk眉re.鈥
Still, their invisible presence around the Santa Fe Opera House was a fitting backdrop, since Wagner set the scene on a high mountain ridge.
And indeed the part of Wotan, one of the most demanding roles in for a dramatic bass-baritone, seems to inspire mountain imagery. To conductor James Gaffigan, its length and difficulty make it 鈥渢he Mount Everest for this particular voice type.鈥 To Green, 鈥淚t feels almost as if this is the pinnacle, the height of roles that you could portray.鈥
Now, at age 39, Green stands proudly at that pinnacle, if sometimes still shaking his head in disbelief at how far he乌鸦传媒 come.
Having survived a troubled childhood that included time in juvenile detention, he found a voice teacher who believed in his gift, honed his skills through years of study and an apprenticeship at the Vienna State Opera, then sang a series of increasingly prominent roles at the Metropolitan Opera to emerge as a full-fledged star.
鈥淚 never thought it would happen, that my career would blow up the way it has,鈥 Green said in an interview between performances, which continue through Aug. 21.
A role that has everything
The Santa Fe performances are his first time singing 鈥淒ie Walk眉re,鈥 the second of the four operas in Wagner乌鸦传媒 tetralogy and the one with the biggest and most daunting role for the head of the gods.
It calls for a wide dramatic range 鈥 from exuberance, to despair, from fury to compassion. And the vocal challenges include a 24-minute monologue in which Wotan recapitulates the previous events in his life, and a scene at the end of a long evening for which he has to keep his voice fresh as he bids a tender farewell to his disobedient daughter Br眉nnhilde, sung here by soprano Tamara Wilson.
鈥淢y Wotan is still in its infancy and I can see it grow with every performance as I get it more into my blood and into my feet,鈥 Green said. 鈥淚鈥檓 lucky that I鈥檓 getting my first whack at it at 39.鈥
Even in this first outing, his performance drew bravos from the audience and critics.
鈥淕reen 鈥 portrayed the troubled god as if he had been doing it for years,鈥 wrote Harvey Steiman on Seen and Heard International. 鈥淪ensitive to every singer around him, he delivered one great moment after another in his rich baritone, as silky as it is powerful.鈥
Green actually made his debut as Wotan last year in a semi-staged production of 鈥淒as Rheingold,鈥 the opening 鈥淩ing鈥 installment at the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
鈥淔rom the moment he walked onstage, everyone sensed his God-like presence,鈥 Dudamel said in an email to the AP. 鈥淲hen he sings, the colors and richness of his voice wash over you, and the sound completely surrounds you.鈥
Freed to be himself
As a Black man, whose 6-foot-4 height and muscular frame make him stand out in any setting, Green said the role of Wotan provides a welcome outlet for feelings that are often pent up.
鈥淔rom the moment I became a man, my mom told me: 鈥榃hen you walk in the street, don鈥檛 walk too tall. Make yourself small, so you don鈥檛 stand out, so you can survive,鈥欌 he said.
鈥淲hen I sang my first Wotan, it was the first time I played a character who doesn鈥檛 have to worry about what anybody else thinks of him.鈥
Green will perform the 鈥淲alk眉re鈥 Wotan again next spring with Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic and will play Wotan in a new 鈥淩ing鈥 cycle at the Metropolitan Opera set to launch in the 2027-28 season, Met General Manager Peter Gelb told the AP.
Practice until perfect
Among his colleagues, Green is known for his relentless work ethic and perfectionism.
鈥淗e乌鸦传媒 extremely hard on himself,鈥 said Gaffigan, who is conducting the Santa Fe performances and recalled the first time he heard from Green after he was cast.
鈥淗e called me to start discussing the role before he even got to Santa Fe,鈥 Gaffigan said, 鈥淎nd from the first words on the telephone, he said, 鈥業 want an hour for Act 2 and an hour for Act 3, can you give me that?鈥 鈥 I knew this guy was really serious and he wouldn鈥檛 give up on getting this time.
鈥淭he dedication to the text and the music and the rhythms is at the highest level of preparation I鈥檝e heard in a long time,鈥 Gaffigan added. 鈥淗e knows how serious this is. It乌鸦传媒 a major ascent in his career.鈥
Green laughs when reminded of that phone call and mentions how he had prepared for his first Wagner role more than a decade ago.
鈥淚t was the Second Knight in 鈥楶arsifal鈥 ... and I was rehearsing for three months for a role that literally has 61 seconds of music,鈥 Green said..
鈥淚 was like, this is at the Met, I need to be perfect,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat kind of mentality has been my saving grace, because I put everything I鈥檝e got into it, vocally, physically, mentally.鈥