In previous episodes of the action packed Ring Cycle, the Valkyrie Brünnhilde was left sleeping, surrounded by a burning Ring of Fire. The birth of the hero who could save her was predicted. That hero is Siegfried, who has been raised to manhood without ever knowing fear. He forges the magical sword, Nothung, with which he'll carry out his heroic deeds. The photos at the top of this blog and the videos below provide a taste of the characters and the action.
The greedy dwarf Mime (Gerhard Siegel) attempts to use Siegfried to slay the giant dragon Fafner and win back the Rhinemaiden's gold. But a little birdy warns Siegfried of treachery and he wins the all-powerful Ring for himself. He is soon on a mission to rescue Brünnhilde, defeating all in his path, including Wotan, Brünnhilde's overly-protective father. Siegfried delivers the kiss of life to Brünnhilde. But will The Ring seal their vow of love for to each other, or will it be their undoing?
Soprano Deborah Voigt and tenor Jay Hunter Morris portray the romantically entangled couple, Brünnhilde and Siegfried, while Bryn Terfel performs as The Wanderer (Wotan). Fabio Luisi conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in this live production, heard on the Toll Brothers Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network (broadcast on CBC Radio 2 from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m., 1:00-7:00 AT, 1:30 7:30 NT). The Met's extensive minisite, synopsis and a NY Times review from last fall's staging will help novices to catch up with the story so far. The production features director Robert Lepage's innovative stage machinery seen here at the entrance of The Wanderer.
If the broadcast whets your appetite for more things Ring-related, stay tuned: Die Walküre will be broadcast next week. And this spring, the Met's Live in HD presentations of Wagner's four-part Der Ring des Nibelungen return to movie theatres in the U.S. and Canada as a complete cycle. The series starts in Canadian theatres on May 7th, with Wagner’s Dream, a revealing new documentary by Susan Froemke. The stakes could not be higher as visionary director Robert Lepage, the world's greatest singers, and the Metropolitan Opera tackle Wagner's Ring cycle. An intimate look at the enormous theatrical and musical challenges of staging opera's most monumental work, the film chronicles the quest to fulfill Wagner's dream of a perfect Ring. Please check with your local movie theater for details.