Die Walküre
Opera

Second part of the ‹Ring› saga

The incestuous love between the twins Siegmund and Sieglinde becomes a test for the family of the gods. In a quarrel with his wife Fricka, Wotan promises to entrust his favourite daughter Brünnhilde with Siegmund's removal. But the Valkyrie Brünnhilde refuses to obey, which leads to the final break with her father. Wotan punishes the «renegade» by putting her to sleep and placing a circle of fire around her. Only fearless heroes are able to cross it.

Richard Wagner's ‹Ring› is returning to Theater Basel after more than 40 years. Two pieces will premiere in each of the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons: ‹Das Rheingold› and ‹Die Walküre› in autumn 2024, ‹Siegfried› and ‹Götterdämmerung› in autumn 2025. The entire cycle can be seen in June 2025. Please also note the accompanying programme.

Info

And what do the soloists and the Basel Symphony Orchestra under Jonathan Nott do? They penetrate our innermost being with voices and sounds, stirring it up, soothing and intoxicating it, so that we listen to Brünnhilde's memories for five long hours and don't want to let go. (...) The soloists, above all Nathan Berg as the wilful Wotan, Trine Møller as the doubting Brünnhilde, but also Ric Furman and Theresa Kronthaler as the loving Siegmund and the listening Sieglinde and also the giant-like Artyom Wasnetsov as Hunding: for an evening, they achieve the superhuman like the gods.

Basler Zeitung

Ric Furman (Siegfried) creates a great evening with his lyrical tenor, Theresa Kronthaler (Sieglinde) speaks and sings her way to triumph. Trine Moller (Brünnhilde) cheers her girlish joy powerfully from her chest, while Nathan Berg (Wotan) not only stands on stage for almost four hours, but also masters the finale remarkably.

bz Basel

One of the most intense, visually powerful moments of the evening is the Ride of the Valkyries during a violent thunderstorm. The music makes a significant contribution to this. [...] The Basel Symphony Orchestra under Jonathan Nott once again delights with a wonderfully rich, yet feather-light sound. Pure pleasure: This Ring is a must-see!

Online Merker

What the singers have to accomplish in this production in terms of acting is truly impressive. [...] With Ric Furman, we have a Siegmund at our disposal who masters this role with a powerful tenor and a good understanding of the text. His «Wälse-Rufe» remain in one's memory. Theresa Kronthaler as Sieglinde is an impressive personality, both vocally and dramatically, and shows the vulnerability of this character.

The opera magazine

Hidden beneath the stage - an allusion to the «mystical abyss» in Bayreuth - the Basel Symphony Orchestra shows its best side, playing under a grid floor, under the confident and dynamic direction of Jonathan Nott: even when you are not on the «green hill», the music literally takes up the space, enveloping the audience much more than if it were coming from a traditional orchestra pit, never obscuring the singers, who illustrate the high quality of the house's ensemble. Such as Nathan Berg, a heroic and powerful Wotan, who impresses with his vocal performance and precision.

Poly Magazine

The «Wälse-Rufe» is the Olympic discipline of all Wagner tenors, and there are illustrious rankings as to which singer could extend it the longest. Ric Furman would be very high up in such a ranking, his voice is powerful, polished and very clear. The effect of this circus number is tremendous.

Süddeutsche Zeitung