A few things to wrap up the 2010-11 classical music season:

Walküre: the SF Opera Ring Cycle keeps on going strong, it's almost done with its third and final circling of the bases. Two more shows Thursday and Sunday, and to the beach they go. We caught die Walküure last night and were blown away one more time. The reason we went back: not that we did not get enough Wagner, even though it felt nice getting immersed again in the lush and familiar harmonies. The Ring: the amniotic fluid of classical music. The reason we went was to hear soprano Heidi Melton in her role debut as Sieglinde, replacing Anja Kampe for one night. Heidi was part of the SF Opera Merola program, then an Adler fellow when Donald Runnicles was still SF Opera's music director. They seem to have a fine relationship, she sang a concert version of the first Act of Walküre with him and the BBC Scottish, she sang at his farewell Verdi Requiem with the SF Opera orchestra. After leaving SF, Runnicles took two main gigs: Heidi was at his inaugural concert with the BBC Scottish; and is a recurring visitor at Deutsche Oper Berlin, where Runnicles is the music director.