Cumming currently stars Off-Broadway in the Classic Stage Company mounting of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. He will reprise his role as Dionysus in the North American premiere of The Bacchae.

The new David Greig translation of Euripides' work is one of many performing arts presentations in the 2008 Lincoln Center Festival.

Following its premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2007, The Bacchae made a West End transfer for a limited run in September 2007.

According to Lincoln Center, "Dionysus arrives at Thebes to claim godly recognition from a disbelieving, ascetic King Pentheus, opening the door to a sardonic, contemporary look at the battle between hedonism and repression."

Replete with a gospel-singing female chorus and Cumming cast as a rock-star-like Dionysus, the production has been described as a Bacchae for the 21st century. Director John Tiffany's cast also features John Bett, Alan Cumming, Paola Dionisotti, Ewan Hooper and Cal MacAninch.

The Bacchae will run July 2-13 at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater.

Additional programming for the Lincoln Center Festival includes Alois Zimmermann's epic staging of the opera Die Soldaten (July 5-12), choreographer William Forsythe's Impressing the Czar (July 17-20), and award-winning musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson in Homeland (July 22-26).

Concerts featuring Damon Albarn and guests Afel Bocoum, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Kokanko Sata, Lobi Traore, and Simone White are scheduled (July 12), as well as the return of Goran Bregovic with his Wedding and Funeral Band (July 8-9).

Theatre offerings also include the previously announced Gate/Beckett from the Gate Theater of Dublin, featuring Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson and Barry McGovern (July 16-27).

Tickets for all Lincoln Center Festival programming go on sale to the general public March 28. For tickets and further information phone (212) 721-6500 or visit www.lincolncenter.org.