Soprano Deborah Voigt makes her much anticipated first staged appearance in the title role of Francesca Zambello's new production of Salome, which opens the Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2006-07 season on October 21.

In an interview with the Lyric Opera (for their magazine) Voigt said about the role, which Strauss described as ideal for a “a 16-year-old princess with the voice of Isolde, that she never imagined she'd have the chance to do this role onstage. "I’m very excited about playing the madness that is running through her. Look at the environment in which Salome lives, with her stepfather lusting after her and her mother looking the other way. It’s all about her youth and curiosity, and something latent within her that’s aroused by Jochanaan [John the Baptist]."

"The role vocally is so full and rich, and, well, Straussian, which is a place my voice likes to live,” Voigt was quoted as saying in the Lyric article .

Voigt, a noted Strauss specialist, has already sung the role in concert performance in Tanglewood in 2001 and performed the final scene in concert several times. Previous appearances at Lyric include singing Chrysostemis’s monologue from Elektra in a gala concert and the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos in 1998-99.

Appearing alongside Voigt in Lyric's Salome are mezzo-soprano Judith Forst as Herodias, tenor Kim Begley as Herod, bass-baritone Alan Held as Jokanaan (John the Baptist) and tenor Joseph Kaiser as Narraboth. Andrew Davis conducts the production; Francesca Zambello directs; sets are by George Tsypin; costumes by Tatiana Noginova and lighting by James F. Ingalls.