Story

Die Walküre

The chief god Wotan fathers the hero Siegmund to regain control of the ring. But, when confronted with the futility of his dream, Wotan is forced to forsake not only his son but also his beloved daughter, the warrior-maiden Brünnhilde.

Composed by Richard Wagner

Sung in German with English supertitles


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Hear the Music

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Das Rheingold

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Das Rheingold

Greed and vengeance trigger a chain of events fraught with corruption and struggle.

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Siegfried

A fearless young hero battles otherworldly challenges on a journey to discover his destiny.

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Götterdämmerung

The cycle's transcendent climax—a suspenseful tale of bravery, sacrifice, destruction and renewal.

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SYNOPSIS

A father’s blinding ambition and a daughter’s profound defiance drive the story forward in the cycle’s dramatic second installment.

Read Complete Synopsis >

The Ring

The Ring Program Articles

DIRECTORS NOTE

The inspiration behind this Ring production is partly #MeToo, partly environmental—and almost entirely American.

WHAT PRICE LOVE?

If Wagner’s Ring could be reduced to a simple slogan, it would resemble something like the power of love versus the love of power.

WAGNER, SCHOPENHAUER, AND THE ORIENT

Richard Wagner’s interest in the East was stimulated by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s The World as Will and Representation.

character bios

Siegmund
Sieglinde
Brunnhilde

CAST & CREATIVE

Cast
Brünnhilde Iréne Theorin
Wotan Greer Grimsley
Sieglinde Karita Mattila
Siegmund Brandon Jovanovich
Fricka Jamie Barton
Hunding Raymond Aceto
Siegrune Laura Krumm
Grimgerde Renée Rapier
Ortlinde Sarah Cambidge
Gerhilde Julie Adams
Rossweisse Lauren McNeese
Schwertleite Nicole Birkland
Helmwige Melissa Citro
Waltraute Renée Tatum
Crew
Conductor Donald Runnicles
Director Francesca Zambello
Associate Director Laurie Feldman
Co-Choreographer Denni Sayers
Co-Choreographer & Dance Master Lawrence Pech
Set Designer Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer Mark McCullough
Projection Designer Jan Hartley
Remounted Projections S. Katy Tucker
Fight Director Dave Maier

* San Francisco Opera debut

A co-production with Washington National Opera.

 

Previous performances of Die Walküre can be found in our Archive.