Die Walkure Tickets

The opera will commence from June 10 with five successive shows continuing till June 30. The performances are rich taking your breath away with such illustrious artistes taking part as Eva-Maria Westbroek (as Sieglinde) and Nina Stemme (as Brunnhilde). The character of Wotan is played by Mark Delavan while Siegmund is played by Christopher Ventris. The production is directed by Francesca Zambello while the Orchestra is conducted by Maestro Donald Runnicles. Nina Stemme has earned commendable reviews before by performing in "The Flying Dutchman" in the Company's 2004 production. Stemme has previously appeared as Sieglinde in Naples, Helsinki, Vienna, Cologne and Stockholm. It was in Vienna State Opera's production in 2009, that she first performed as Brunnhilde. Soprano Anja Kampe plays the character of Sieglinde singing with prodigious power and grace. Time will fly like the winds when you sit in through the show!

The opera carries a mythological theme. Wotan is a king whose kingdom includes the Nibelung dwarfs, men and the giants. He rules them by virtue of the contracts and treaties written on the body of his spear. Two giants Fafner and Fasolt build the stronghold of Valhalla and Wotan promises to reward them by giving them the Fairy Freia who supplies him with the apples of eternal youth. However, he breaks his promise and refuses to present the Fairy to the giants. The giants are not happy over this and demand something else as a substitute. The treasure of Alberich the Nibelung is what their eyes fall on. Alberich had worked for the three Rhinemaidens and had stolen their magic Rhine gold. A ring was forged by him from the gold which makes its master command power of the world but only if he will renounce love.

Wotan was not ready to forswear love but still craved for the power of the ring. He acquired the ring forcibly from Alberich making him put a deadly spell on it. The giants earn the ring from Wotan who learns something else from the mother of the three Norns. Alberich's spell comes true. Fasolt is killed by Fafner who takes the entire treasure and gains the ring. Fafner changes himself into a hideous dragon thus guarding the treasure in a cave in the middle of woods. Wotan endeavors to build an army of warriors to defend himself against Alberich's force. Further drama unravels as the story proceeds!

Christopher Ventris sings Siegmund in Die Walkure having appeared in Wagner's Parsifal and Der Fliegende Hollander before. The artist has earlier played the character of Siegmund at Cologne Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Vienna State Opera. Before that, he has played the main role of Parsifal in Bayreuth, Vienna, London and Paris. Janina Baechle, a German mezzo-soprano makes her debut in this San Francisco production as Fricka. Bass Raymon Aceto delivers an impressive performance as Hunding (Sieglinde's husband). The artist has appeared before in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly", as Banquo in Verdi's Macbeth, Verdi's Simon Boccanegra and as the King of Egypt in Verdi's Aida.

Gather your friends and attend an epic saga of power and revenge. Purchase Die Walkure Tickets!