Avantasia, from Germany, is the side-project of Edguy singer Tobias Sammet, founded in 1999. Two concept albums were released (The Metal Opera, The Metal Opera Pt. II), their structures similar to that of an opera. Both can be classified as power metal and/or symphonic metal. After the second album, Sammet announced that there would not be any more Avantasia albums. However, in January 2008 a third album was released, titled The Scarecrow. On November 16th 2007 two 6-track albums Lost in space Part 1 and Lost in space Part 2 were released. On April 2nd 2010 two new full-length albums were released, The Wicked Symphony and Angel Of Babylon, completing the Scarecrow Trilogy. In March 2011 the first Avantasia live CD and DVD called The Flying Opera were released. The contents were based on the footage taken during The Scarecrow tour in 2008, recorded on Wacken Open Air (Germany) and Masters of Rock (Vizovice, Czech Republic) music festivals.

The cast of the Avantasia project:

The Metal Opera (Parts I and II)
Guitar
Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray)
Jens Ludwig (Edguy)
Norman Meiritz
Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius)

Bass
Markus Grosskopf (Helloween)

Drums
Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody)

Keyboard
Tobias Sammet (Edguy)

Piano
Frank Tischer

Singers
Tobias Sammet (Edguy) as Gabriel Laymann
Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween) as Lugaid Vandroiy
David DeFeis (Virgin Steele) as Friar Jakob
Ralf Zdiarstek as Bailiff Falk von Kronberg
Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) as Anna Held
Rob Rock (Warrior) as Bishop Johann von Bicken
Oliver Hartmann (At Vance) as Pope Clemens VIII
André Matos (ex-Shaaman, ex-Angra) as Elderane, the Elf
Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray) as Regrin, the Dwarf
Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) as Mysterious Voice of the Tower
Bob Catley (Magnum) as the Tree of Knowledge

The Scarecrow
Guitar
Sascha Paeth
Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray)
Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray)
Rudolf Schenker(Scorpions)

Bass
Tobias Sammet

Drums
Eric Singer (Kiss)

Keyboard
Tobias Sammet
Michael "Miro" Rodenburg (ex-Kamelot)

Singers
Tobias Sammet
Roy Khan (Kamelot)
Jorn Lande (Jorn)
Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween)
Bob Catley (Magnum)
Amanda Somerville (ex-Aina)
Alice Cooper
Oliver Hartmann (At Vance)


The Wicked Symphony
Singers
Tobias Sammet
Russell Allen
Jorn Lande
Michael Kiske
Tim "Ripper" Owen
Klaus Meine
Andre Matos
Bob Catley
Ralf Zdiarstek

Bass
Tobias Sammet

Guitar
Sascha Paeth
Bruce Kulick
Oliver Hartmann

Orchestration
Miro Rodenberg

Drums
Felix Bohnke
Alex Holzwarth
Eric Singer


Angel Of Babylon
Singers
Tobias Sammet
Jorn Lande
Russell Allen
Michael Kiske
Jon Oliva
Cloudy Yang
Bob Catley
Oliver Hartmann
Amanda Somerville

Bass
Tobias Sammet

Guitar
Sascha Paeth
Bruce Kulick
Oliver Hartmann
Henjo Richter

Keyboard/Orchestration
Jens Johansson
Miro Rodenberg
Simon Oberender

Drums
Felix Bohnke
Alex Holzwarth
Eric Singer

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