A powerful god finds himself torn by conflicting loyalties in the second installment of
Wagner's majestic Ring cycle, which features the famous "Ride of the Valkyries." Director
Francesca Zambello gives this epic tale of an emotionally volatile father and his disobedient
children a distinctly American touch while honoring its mythic roots. Donald Runnicles,
whose command of Wagner's music "offers one of the city's most reliable musical thrills"
(San Francisco Chronicle), conducts a world-class cast including two stunning sopranos:
Nina Stemme, the sublime Senta of San Francisco Opera's The Flying Dutchman (2004),
and Eva-Maria Westbroek, whose Wagnerian vocalism was called "outstanding" by
London critics. Mark Delavan, hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as a "robust and
commanding" Wotan in the 2008 Ring cycle opera Das Rheingold, continues
the journey.
"Prepare to be utterly amazed," raved the Washington D.C. Metro Weekly. "This is a
supremely cohesive operatic and theatrical experience, a tremendously absorbing ride in
which we thrill to Wagner's brilliant, evocative score while realizing just how relevant the
work is to modern audiences. Time will fly like a Valkyrie on the wind."
A powerful god finds himself torn by conflicting loyalties in the second installment of
Wagner's majestic Ring cycle, which features the famous "Ride of the Valkyries." Director
Francesca Zambello gives this epic tale of an emotionally volatile father and his disobedient
children a distinctly American touch while honoring its mythic roots. Donald Runnicles,
whose command of Wagner's music "offers one of the city's most reliable musical thrills"
(San Francisco Chronicle), conducts a world-class cast including two stunning sopranos:
Nina Stemme, the sublime Senta of San Francisco Opera's The Flying Dutchman (2004),
and Eva-Maria Westbroek, whose Wagnerian vocalism was called "outstanding" by
London critics. Mark Delavan, hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as a "robust and
commanding" Wotan in the 2008 Ring cycle opera Das Rheingold, continues
the journey.
"Prepare to be utterly amazed," raved the Washington D.C. Metro Weekly. "This is a
supremely cohesive operatic and theatrical experience, a tremendously absorbing ride in
which we thrill to Wagner's brilliant, evocative score while realizing just how relevant the
work is to modern audiences. Time will fly like a Valkyrie on the wind."
Wotan, wandering the earth disguised as a human Wälse, has fathered twin children by a mortal woman: the Wälsungs Siegmund and Sieglinde. To prepare Siegmund for his task, Wotan separated the twins in their youth, leaving Sieglinde to enter a loveless marriage with Hunding, while putting Siegmund through endless trials. Siegmund, who calls himself Wehwalt (“Woeful”), went to the aid of a woman who was being forced into marriage by her brothers. In his struggle to save her, Siegmund lost his weapons but managed to kill several of the woman’s brothers. As Siegmund fled, Wotan created a mighty storm to separate Siegmund from the brothers’ pursuing kinsman.
ACT I
Exhausted from his flight, Siegmund seeks shelter from the storm in a house built around a great ash tree. Collapsing unconscious on the floor, he is discovered by Sieglinde, who offers him water and mead. She reveals only that the house is Hunding’s and that she is Hunding’s wife. As they talk, an overpowering attraction for each other takes hold of them.
When Hunding returns and hears the stranger’s history, he reveals that he is himself one of the pursuing kinsmen. The laws of hospitality demand that he offer strangers shelter for one night, but in the morning Siegmund must be prepared to fight him. Sending his wife to prepare him a drink, Hunding leaves Siegmund alone. Siegmund then recalls that Wälse had vowed to provide his son with a sword in his hour of need.
Sieglinde, after drugging her husband’s drink, returns to Siegmund and tells him of a one-eyed stranger who appeared at her wedding feast and thrust a sword deep into the ash tree, saying that only a great hero would retrieve it. Many had tried and all had failed to pull the sword from the tree. Still ignorant of their identities, Wälse’s children give way to their passionate love. Magically, the walls open up and spring moonlight streams in on the embracing lovers. Sieglinde now understands that this man is her brother and she calls him by his true name, Siegmund. Seizing the sword, Siegmund names it Nothung, the Needed One. Drawing the sword from the tree, he presents it as a bridal gift to Sieglinde. From her response he, too, understands that they are brother and sister, united in love and blood.
ACT II
Wotan, his plans developing just as he intended, instructs his favorite Valkyrie, Brünnhilde, to ensure that Siegmund kills Hunding in the impending fight. But no sooner has Brünnhilde left than Fricka, Wotan’s wife and goddess of marriage vows, arrives and angrily protests the sacrilege of Sieglinde’s incest and infidelity. Fricka argues that in Nothung Siegmund has an instrument of the gods and is therefore not an innocent. She then demands that Siegmund die for her honor. Wotan, who must abide by the laws and contracts engraved on his spear, reluctantly pledges to withdraw his protection of Siegmund. Brünnhilde’s exuberant return is cut short by the tension between Wotan and his wife. Utterly downcast, Wotan now foresees only the end of the gods. Revealing to Brünnhilde the whole story of the Ring, he commands her to withdraw Nothung’s power. When Brünnhilde protests, Wotan angrily instructs her to ensure Siegmund’s death in the fight. Miserable over her obligation, Brünnhilde nonetheless goes off to do her duty.
After a flight through the forest, Siegmund and Sieglinde come upon a clearing. Exhausted, frightened and guilt-ridden, Sieglinde sinks to sleep in her brother’s arms. Brünnhilde approaches Siegmund and tells him he must die, but that she will take his soul to join the heroes of Valhalla. Siegmund, learning that Sieglinde can never join him there, refuses, saying he would rather kill himself and his sister than allow anyone else to touch her. His devotion arouses such pity in the Valkyrie that she vows to disobey Wotan. Experiencing feelings of love for the first time, she prepares to protect Siegmund as Hunding’s hounds are heard in the forest nearby. But Wotan’s purposes are not so easily deflected. Furious at Brünnhilde’s disobedience he appears in the middle of the fight and shatters Nothung with his spear. Brünnhilde flees with Sieglinde and the broken pieces of Nothung.
ACT III
On a remote mountaintop, Brünnhilde’s sisters are assembling with newly slain heroes they have gathered for Valhalla’s guard as the fleeing Brünnhilde brings Sieglinde to them. When her warrior sisters refuse their help, Brünnhilde reveals that Sieglinde is carrying Siegmund’s child, destined to become the greatest of all heroes and to bear the name Siegfried. Giving Sieglinde the shattered Nothung, Brünnhilde sends her into the forest to escape Wotan’s wrath. Sieglinde has hardly left before Wotan arrives. Shielded at first by the other Valkyries, Brünnhilde faces her angry father. Wotan tells her she has forfeited her rights as a demigod; she shall be cast into a deep sleep on a rock, prey to any man who finds her. Her pleading softens Wotan’s anger, and he finally agrees to her request: only the greatest of heroes shall be able to take her. Sadly, Wotan bids farewell to his favorite daughter. He tells her she shall be surrounded by a wall of flame, and with a final kiss he removes her divine attributes. Gesturing with his spear, he commands Loge, the spirit of fire, to encircle her with flames.
