Die Walküre
Template:Wagner operasDie Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. It is the source of the famous piece Ride of the Valkyries.
Wagner took his tale from the Norse mythology told in the Völsunga Saga and the Poetic Edda.[1][2]
It received its premiere at Munich's National Theatre on 26 June 1870 at the insistence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was premiered in Wagner's Bayreuther Festspiele as part of the complete cycle on 14 August 1876. The opera made its United States premiere at the Metropolitan Opera on 30 January 1885.
The Victor Book of the Opera, 10th edition, 1936, states "First performance in the United States, April 2, 1877, at the Academy of Music, New York."
Composition
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast 26 June 1870 (Conductor: Franz Wüllner) |
Cast at premiere of complete cycle 14 August 1876 (Conductor: Hans Richter) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortals | |||
| Siegmund | tenor | Heinrich Vogl | Albert Niemann |
| Sieglinde | soprano | Therese Vogl | Josephine Scheffzky |
| Hunding | bass | Kaspar Bausewein | Josef Niering |
| Gods | |||
| Wotan | bass-baritone | August Kindermann | Franz Betz |
| Fricka | mezzo-soprano | Anna Kaufmann | Frederike Grün-Sadler |
| Valkyries | |||
| Brünnhilde | soprano | Sophie Stehle | Amalie Materna |
| Gerhilde | soprano | Karoline Lenoff | Marie Haupt |
| Ortlinde | soprano | Henriette Müller | Marie Lehmann |
| Waltraute | mezzo-soprano | Hemauer | Luise Jaide |
| Schwertleite | contralto | Emma Seehofer | Johanna Jachmann-Wagner |
| Helmwige | soprano | Anna Possart-Deinet | Lilli Lehmann |
| Siegrune | mezzo-soprano | Anna Eichheim | Antonie Amann |
| Grimgerde | mezzo-soprano | Wilhelmine Ritter | Hedwig Reicher-Kindermann |
| Rossweisse | mezzo-soprano | Juliane Tyroler | Marie Lammert |
Synopsis
Introduction
Although Wotan, chief of the gods, rules over giants, men and the Nibelung dwarfs by virtue of the treaties and contracts engraved on the shaft of his spear, he has himself broken one such contract — he has promised to give the goddess Freia to the two giants Fasolt and Fafner as payment for building the stronghold of Valhalla, but when the work is completed he refuses to part with Freia, who provides the gods with the apples of eternal youth.
A substitute must be found, and the giants demand the treasure of Alberich the Nibelung. Alberich has stolen the magic Rhinegold from the three Rhinemaidens and has forged from it a ring which has the power to gain its bearer mastery of the world if he will forswear love. Wotan is not prepared to renounce love, but covets the power of the Ring. He takes it by force from Alberich, who then places upon it a deadly curse. Wotan gives Alberich's treasure to the giants but is only persuaded to part with the Ring when the all-wise goddess Erda, mother of the three Norns (weavers of the world's destiny), warns him of the approaching end of the gods. Alberich's curse takes immediate effect: Fafner kills Fasolt to gain the Ring, and takes the entire treasure.
By means of the Tarnhelm (a magic cap which Alberich's brother Mime has forged) he changes himself into a monstrous dragon and in this form he hoards the treasure in a cave in the depths of a forest. Wotan now takes two measures to secure himself against danger. With the help of the nine Valkyries (chief among whom is Brünnhilde, borne to him by Erda) he gathers about him in Valhalla an army 13 of warriors who will be able to defend him against Alberich's power should the Nibelung ever regain possession of the Ring, and at the same time he seeks to influence events so that the Ring will fall into the hands of a hero who has grown up free of divine help and is not bound by any of the treaties that bind the god himself. Under the name “Wälse” he has fathered, by a mortal woman, the twins Siegmund and Sieglinde, who have become separated from each other while children. Alberich, too, has fathered a son by a mortal woman whom he has seduced by means of his gold.
Act 1
A fierce storm is raging. Siegmund, pursued by enemies, seeks refuge in a house built around the trunk of a mighty ash-tree. This is the home of Sieglinde, who is married to the brutal Hunding. Sieglinde does not realise that the wounded and exhausted stranger is her brother. While she is caring for him an unmistakably sexual tension develops between the two. Hunding returns and, in spite of his distrust of the stranger, offers him hospitality. Siegmund gives his name as Wehwalt (Weh=sorrow), son of Wolfe, and after Sorne hesitation tells his story.
He had grown up in the forest with his parents and his twin sister. Returning home one day he found that marauders had burnt down their hut, killed his mother and abducted his sister. Sorne years later he had become separated from his father, who also disappeared, leaving him alone in the world. Siegmund has tried to mix with other men but has always been rejected as an outsider. He is now fleeing from a clan whom he had found trying to marry a girl off to a man she did not love; Siegmund has killed her brothers and lost his weapons in the flight from her relations. Hunding now reveals that he himself is a kinsman of this c1an. Siegmund will be protected by the laws of hospitality for the night, but in the morning Hunding will fight him to avenge his murdered kinsmen. Left alone, Siegmund cries out for help to his father Wälse, who had promised that in the hour of his greatest need he would find a sword.
Sieglinde returns, having drugged Hunding with a sleeping draught. She recounts how, when her abductors were marrying her off ta Hunding, a mysterious stranger had appeared and plunged a sword into the trunk of the ash-tree. No one has yet been able to draw it out, but she now believes that Siegmund is her saviour and that the sword will be his. As the door of the house flies open to reveal the forest transfigured by the arrival of spring, the love which has grown up between the two breaks out uncontrollably. Siegmund reveals that he is the son of Wälse and draws forth the sword, which he names "Notung" (Not=need, necessity). Sieglinde discloses that she is his own twin sister. Overcome, the two fall into a passionate embrace.
Act 2
It is the following morning. Siegmund and Sieglinde have fled from Hunding into the mountains. Wotan orders his daughter, the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, to prepare for battle in order ta help Siegmund kill Hunding in their coming fight. Fricka, Wotan's 14 consort, now approaches. As the guardian of marriage, she demands the death of Siegmund, who is guilty of both adultery and incest. When Wotan refuses to abandon his "free hero", Fricka lays bare his self-deception: Siegmund is in no sense independent since his fate has been pre-ordained by Wotan, who has even indirectly led him to find the magic sword.
Wotan, as guardian of oaths, is compelled to punish Siegmund and must now promise to leave him to his fate without any protection. He must also forbid Brünnhilde to aid him in his fight against Hunding. When Fricka has le ft, Wotan openly expresses his despair, and in the course of a long monologue explains to Brünnhilde the story of the Ring and the curse attached to it. When Brünnhilde shows her reluctance to abandon Siegmund, Wotan threatens her with his terrible anger; he orders her to obey, and storms off. Brünnhilde sadly withdraws. Siegmund and Sieglinde now arrive; Sieglinde, half-crazed with fear, sinks into an exhausted sleep. Brünnhilde appears before Siegmund to announce his forthcoming death and his reception among the heroes of Valhalla.
Siegmund, however, refuses to follow her into Valhalla if Sieglinde cannot accompany him. Brünnhilde is deeply moved that a man can value love higher than the everlasting bliss ofValhalla. She is overcome with compassion as Siegmund, in a fit of despair, prepares to kill his sleeping sister after learning that she bears his child. Brünnhilde prevents him and promises ta support him despite Wotan's commando But in the fight Wotan himself unexpectedly intervenes. His spear shatters the magic sword, Siegmund is killed by Hunding, and Brünnhilde, gathering up the pieces of the sword, hastily leads Sieglinde away to safety. Hunding falls dead at a contemptuous gesture from Wotan, who then hurries after Brünnhilde to punish her disobedience.
Act 3
The other Valkyries assemble on the summit of a mountain, each with a dead hero in her saddlebag. They are astonished when Brünnhilde arrives with a living woman. She begs them to help, but they dare not defy Wotan. Brünnhilde decides to delay Wotan as Sieglinde flees. She also reveals that Sieglinde is pregnant by Siegmund, and names the unborn son Siegfried.
Wotan arrives in wrath and passes judgement on Brünnhilde: she is to be stripped of her Valkyrie status and become mortal, to be held in a magic sleep on the mountain, prey to any man who happens by. Dismayed, the other Valkyries flee. Brünnhilde begs mercy of Wotan for herself, his favorite child. She recounts the courage of Siegmund and her decision to protect him, knowing that was Wotan's true desire. With the words 'Der diese Liebe mir ins Herz gehaucht' (He who breathed this love into me), introducing the key of E major, she identifies her own actions as Wotan's true will. Wotan consents to her last request: to encircle the mountaintop with magic flame, which will deter all but the bravest of heroes (who, shown through the leitmotif, they both know will be the yet unborn Siegfried). Wotan lays Brünnhilde down on a rock and, in a long embrace, kisses her eyes closed into an enchanted sleep. He summons Loge (the Norse demigod of fire) to ignite the circle of flame that will protect her, then slowly departs in sorrow, after pronouncing: "Whosoever fears the point of my spear shall not pass through the fire." The curtain falls as the Magic Fire Music again resolves into E major.
Noted excerpts
- Prelude to Act I (The opening storm)
- Siegmund Spring Song and duet with Sieglinde (Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond) (Act I)
- Prelude to Act II
- Wotan's Monologue (Act II)
- Brünnhilde's Announcement of Siegmund's Death (Act II)
- Ride of the Valkyries (Prelude and scene from Act III)
- Brunnhilde's pleading (War es so schmählich) (Act III)
- Wotan's Farewell (Leb' wohl) (Act III)
- Magic Fire Music (Act III)
Selected recordings
See also
References
External links
- Wagner Operas. A comprehensive website featuring photographs of productions, recordings, librettos, and sound files.
- Rilstone, Andrew (2004). "The Imperfect Wagnerite". (A Wagner-junkie's review and appreciation of the English National Opera's production of The Valkyrie along with discussion of Wagner's appeal.)
- Complete libretto (in German), following the 1971 re-edition
- Schiavo, Paul (2003) "Saint Louis Symphony Concert Program Notes". (Program notes from the 14 and 15 November 2003 performances of Die Walküre.)
- Vocal score of Die Walküre
Audio samples
- Ride of the Valkyries (Full) Full version of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, as performed by the American Symphony Orchestra in 1921. (From the Internet Archives' Collection of Open Source Audio)
- Recording of "Hinweg! Hinweg!" with soprano Lotte Lehmann from the San Francisco Opera in 1936