DIE WALKÜRE
Vorabend des Bühnenfestspiels ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’
Composer and librettist: Richard Wagner (1813–1883)
First performance: Nationaltheater, Munich, 26 June 1870

SETTING: Hunding’s house and mountains, mythic times

PLOT: Siegmund the Volsung seeks refuge at Hunding’s house. He learns that Hunding is his enemy, and that Sieglinde is his twin sister. Passionately in love, the siblings run away from Hunding. They are the children of Wotan, whose wife Fricka persuades him to let Hunding kill Siegmund in battle. Brünnhilde disobeys her father, and tries to give the victory to Siegmund. Wotan breaks Siegmund’s sword, Hunding kills Siegmund and Wotan kills Hunding. Brünnhilde helps Sieglinde, pregnant with Siegfried, escape with the pieces of the broken sword. Wotan pursues Brünnhilde; he will strip her of her powers and leave her asleep on a mountaintop, the wife of the first man who passes by. Brünnhilde pleads with her father, who relents: a circle of magic fire will surround her, and only the bravest of heroes will be able to claim her.

Der Walkürenritt
The Valkyries gather on a mountaintop to await Brünnhilde.

Gerhilde (soprano): Danica Mastilovic
Ortlinde (soprano): Helga Dernesch
Waltraute (mezzo-soprano): Gertraud Hopf
Schwertleite (contralto): Sieglinde Wagner
Helmwige (soprano): Liane Synek
Siegrune (mezzo-soprano): Annelies Burmeister
Grimgerde (contralto): Elisabeth Schärtel
Roßweiße (mezzo-soprano): Soňa Červená

Conductor: Karl Böhm
Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele
Bayreuth, 1967

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