Following 2023’s Das Rheingold, conductor Antonio Pappano and director Barrie Kosky reunite to continue the mythical adventure with Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), the second work of Richard Wagner’s four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen.
On a stormy night, fate brings Siegmund (Stanislas de Barbeyrac) to the door of Sieglinde (Natalya Romaniw), the fearful wife of bully Hunding (Soloman Howard), unleashing a love with the power to end worlds. Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, an epic battle ensues between their ruler Wotan (Christopher Maltman) and his rebellious daughter, Brünnhilde (Elisabet Strid), after his wife Fricka (Marina Prudenskaya) has laid her own law down to him, and the battle of the Valkyries – Helmwige (Maida Hundeling); Ortlinde (Katie Lowe); Gerhilde (Lee Bisset); Waltraute (Claire Barnett-Jones); Siegrune (Catherine Carby); Rossweisse (Alison Kettlewell); Grimgerde (Monika-Evelin Liiv); and Schwertleite (Rhonda Browne) – ensues.
And in every scene, Mother Earth/Erda (Illona Linthwaite) watches on, mesmerising in her own way, whether it’s blessing the incestuous union of Siegmund and Sieglinde with Spring flowers, or chauffeuring Fricka to her showdown with Wotan, but this is very much part of Kosky’s vision of an environmental apocalypse inspired by the Australian bushfires he observed on a trip home, and the set design from Rufus Didwiszus with corresponding lighting design Alessandro Carletti is suitably bleak as it correlates the burnt and twisted limbs of the tree with those of a human body, and whose burnt planks construct Sieglinde’s house, whilst the Magic Fire at the end doesn’t disappoint either.
Victoria Behr’s costumes suggest a non-specific here and now, with Siegmund resplendent in a hoodie as if straight from the street, whilst Wotan and Fricka resemble a more corporate couple intent on destruction of a different sort, whilst the bloodied Valkyries look more feral than feminine as they collect the charred corpses of heroes from the battlefield and disintegrate them into ash.
Pappano returns as Royal Opera Conductor Laureate in recognition of him having overseen 700 performances in his 22 years as Musical Director. The orchestra continue to play as if he is still an ever-present and they play wonderfully, from whipping up a terrifying storm through to the dramatic evocation of flight in The Ride of the Valkyries before the brooding intensity of Wotan’s Farewell. His close relationship with the principals sees them positioned downstage where with ease he draws out every glorious detail from them, all perfectly balanced with the orchestra, none more so than the mythical daughters of Valhalla as they sing their glorious arrival: ‘Hojotoho!’.
For a variety of reasons Kosky has not gone with the usual box office stars and we benefit accordingly with the appropriately youthful Romaniw and de Barbeyrac providing a stunning start, with Romaniw serving up a sublime tone and wonderful diction whilst de Barbeyrac was suitably feral as he sang with intensity: both have bright futures ahead of them.
Howard and Prudenskaya have limited stage time, but both put their all into their performances with Howard suitably intimidating and brutal whilst Prudenskaya gets to revel in her moral victory over her wayward husband.
Maltman is resplendent throughout as a man used to getting his own way with the vocal strength for every part of what is a very demanding role, embracing powerful fury as well loving tenderness, and an all-round charismatic performance: it is impossible to believe that this is only his second season performing Wagner.
Strid perfectly captures the passion and impetuosity of a vivacious young woman whose vocal and performance evolves as she falls foul of her father’s rage with her softer singing beautifully capturing her pleas for leniency and love. I’m looking forward to the next cycle as her Brünnhilde blossoms into womanhood.
Reviewer: Mark Davoren
Reviewed: 18th May 2025
North West End UK Rating: