Last year I revealed
my one-item bucket list -- to see Wagner's four-opera epic
Der Ring des Nibelungen (usually referred to as "the Ring Cycle") performed live. And as if on command (LOL), Edmonton Opera miraculously decided to stage its own Ring Cycle of one component opera per season over the next four years. So in 2024 I went to the first opera,
Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), which I wrote about
here. And now I've just attended the second opera,
Die Walküre (The Valkyrie).
The Plot:
Wotan, Ruler of the Gods, fathered many children outside marriage, including a twin brother-and-sister duo named Siegmund and Sieglinde, as well as nine warrior goddesses called Valkyries. Wotan's favourite Valkyrie daughter is his beloved Brünnhilde. Siegmund and Sieglinde, who were separated as children, meet again as adults and fall in love. Their incestuous union angers the Gods. The warrior Siegmund is supposed to win an upcoming battle to the death, but Wotan turns against him and orders Brünnhilde not to assist Siegmund in the fight.
When Brünnhilde learns that Sieglinde is pregnant, she decides to disobey Wotan and protect both lovers. An enraged Wotan appears on the battlefield and shatters Siegmund's sword, ensuring his death. Brünnhilde rescues Sieglinde and takes her to a place of safety so her pregnancy can continue.
Wotan tells Brünnhilde he will punish her for disobeying him by removing Brünnhilde's divinity, putting her into a deep sleep on a mountainside, and letting the first man who finds her "claim her as his wife." Brünnhilde negotiates to mitigate this rape so that only a worthy hero will be able to reach her. Wotan concedes and encircles the mountainside with a protective wall of flames as he leaves Brünnhilde to her fate.
The Staging:
I was much happier with this opera's staging compared to last year's uneven efforts. The set was minimalistic and dominated by a huge round suspended screen which was used for special effects videos and subtitles. The scaled-down Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was tucked discreetly behind the set. Costumes were more traditional looking than last year's modern clothing.
The Music and Singing:
Both were excellent! The singers who performed as Siegmund and Sieglinde were especially compelling with their arias and duets. And the famous orchestral piece "The Ride of the Valkyries" was suitably thrilling to hear. Die Walküre is my favourite opera of the Ring Cycle and I enjoyed this performance of it tremendously! What a treat!
Of course, because this is Edmonton and we're in the midst of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the stage during intermission sported a different video projection --
Yes, GO OILERS, Mighty Warriors of Valhalla!
The Ring Cycle's third opera a year from now will be Siegfried.
