Bayreuth audiences had a surprise this week when Catherine Foster sustained an injury during Götterdämmerung.

The curse of the Ring? British soprano Catherine Foster has sustained her second injury while playing Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Ring cycle – and this time the show went on thanks to a man gamely stepping into her shoes (and a gold lamé frock).

On Monday night, during the final performance of the current season of Götterdämmerung in Frank Castorf’s controversial Ring cycle, Foster hurt her foot at the end of Act I. As reported by Slipped Disc, assistant director Andreas Rosar donned a sparkling golden gown and went on stage in her place for the next two acts, while she sang from the wings in a wheelchair.

^{Catherine Foster and Andreas Rosar. Photograph from Catherine Foster’s Facebook page}

Foster posted a message on her Facebook page saying: “Twisted too fast left to come out for a bow and calf went ‘pop’ so a ripped muscle – nowhere near as bad as the right leg last year though! Lots of ice and Arnica and it’ll be fine”.

Last May, during a dress rehearsal for Francesca...