Günther Schneider-Siemssen, Renown Scenic Designer, is Dead at 88

	Günther Schneider-Siemssen

Günther Schneider-Siemssen, the world-renowned scenic designer, who was probably best-known in this country for his work on Wagner's operas at the Metropolitan Opera, died on June 3 in Vienna. He was 88.

He was famously known as "The Lord of the Rings," for having designed Wagner's Ring Cycle no fewer than seven times, a Herculean task that few, if any, designers have matched.

Born in 1926 in Augsburg, Germany, he grew up in Munich, where he planned to be a conductor. Switching over to scenic design, he worked first in film then took on small theatre projects before joining the National Opera in Munich. He then became chief set designer at the Salzburg State Theatre in 1951. He was also chief set designer for the Austrian Federal Theatre from 1962 - 1987. He also worked at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre, Salzburg Festival, and Salzburg Easter Festival. He became an Austrian citizen in 1973.

The designer's international credits include opera productions in South America, Canada, Israel, South Africa, and the US. He consulted with Pani, the projection company, on projection technology. According to his official biography, he was the first person to use holographic technology on stage, in an '80s-era production of Tales of Hoffmann in Salzburg. He also worked as a lighting designer, on stage and various open-air light shows, including the opening of the Vienna Opera Ball. He enjoyed long working relationships with such directors as Herbert von Karajan and Otto Schenk. When asked by a journalist why he only works with Schneider-Siemssen, von Karajan said: "When the curtain rises with us, you not only hear the music, but you also see it."

For the Metropolitan Opera, he designed two Ring Cycles, Tristan und Isolde, Jenufa, Tannhäuser, Arabella, Die Fledermaus, Parsifal, Tales of Hoffmann, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Rusalka. His Tannhäuser will be revived at the Met next season. His work was also seen at Lyric Opera of Chicago; San Francisco Opera; Miami Opera; Opera of Colorado, Denver; Grand Opera Houston; Los Angeles Opera; Seattle Opera, and San Diego Opera.

Schneider-Siemssen is survived by his wife, Eva, whom he married in 1969, and four children: Philipp, Vivien, Alexander, and Christopher.