Part 2 of the Ring cycle, featuring the unforgettable “Ride Of The Valkyries”, is equal parts heady romance and high-stakes family drama. Deep in the forest, love blossoms between the dashing nomad Siegmund and the unhappily married Sieglinde. Believing that this union holds the key to lifting the ring’s curse, Wotan instructs his Valkyrie daughter Brünnhilde to defend Siegmund in the ensuing duel. The adulterous pairing draws the ire of Fricka, goddess of marriage, who demands the interloper be killed. Wotan defers to Fricka, but Brünnhilde, moved by Siegmund’s overwhelming love, defies the gods and protects him. The duel ends messily, Sieglinde is spirited away to bear a son, and Wotan and Brünnhilde have a fiery father/daughter showdown on a towering cliff.
In German with English Captions
Approximate Running Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes, with 2 intermissions | at McCaw Hall
Ring Cycle Dates - Buy Full Cycle
Cycle I: August 4, 5, 7, & 9
Cycle II: August 12, 13, 15 & 17
Cycle III: August 20, 21, 23 & 25
Features
Synopsis
Read the saga of Wagner’s gods and goddesses—the ring that tears them apart, the Valkyrie who dares to disobey, the boy who knows no fear, and the downfall of the gods.
Artists
Meet the artists who will bring Wagner’s epic to life, including Seattle Ring veterans Greer Grimsley, Stephanie Blythe, and director Stephen Wadsworth, as well as Alwyn Mellor and Stefan Vinke in their company Ring debuts.
Photos
See images of the 2009 Ring, featuring both newcomers and familiar faces, plus the beautifully naturalistic sets of Thomas Lynch, costumes by Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting designed by Peter Kaczorowski.
Videos
Watch a video preview from the 2009 Seattle Opera production of Die Walküre. Footage includes many of the favorite scenes from this opera.