The Ring of the Nibelung: The Valkyrie

The new Bayreuth production of the Ring Cycle that premiered in 2013 offered spectacular sets, courtesy of Aleksandar Denić. As is regularly the case in Frank Castorf's productions, live video recordings add an extra dimension and in this performance Die Walküre is set at the beginning in the 19th century and then moves ahead to the Stalin era. The geographic setting is Baku, Azerbaijan, so in addition to Wild West capitalism, Castorf also takes aim at Soviet communism. The leading roles are also strongly cast in this third revival of Castorf's production, with Christopher Ventris, Heidi Melton, Catherine Foster and John Lundgren.

Cast

Christopher Ventris

Siegmund

Georg Zeppenfeld

Hunding

John Lundgren

Wotan

Heidi Melton

Sieglinde

Catherine Foster

Brünnhilde

Sarah Connolly

Fricka

Caroline Wenborne

Gerhilde

Dara Hobbs

Ortlinde

Stephanie Houtzeel

Waltraute

Nadine Weissmann

Schweltleite