Two additional performances of our new production of Die Walküre (12 July, conducted by Harry Sever; 14 July conducted by Anthony Negus) will open for booking in early 2024, alongside Puccini’s La bohème.
Priority booking for Die Walküre will be open to Wagner members who have not used their allocation on the Ring cycle. Priority booking for La bohème will be open to all members. See booking dates at lfo.org.uk/tickets
Siegmund and Sieglinde find themselves drawn together during a storm. Unbeknown to them their father is Wotan, chief of the gods, who through Siegmund hopes to retrieve a ring of ultimate power.
Following the cancellation of Longborough's 2020 festival, our 2021 production of Die Walküre was a socially-distanced concert production. This 2024 Die Walküre is a new production that will be seen for the first time as part of our 2024 Ring cycle.
All productions in the cycle are created especially for Longborough by Amy Lane, Artistic Director of Copenhagen Opera Festival, and Longborough Music Director and eminent Wagnerian Anthony Negus.
Der Ring des Nibelungen (known as the Ring cycle) is a story of gods, giants and heroes, and their struggles for power. Wagner’s cycle is the most epic of tales, a monumental work of art with a score that is searing, desperate and sublime.
Watching a whole Ring cycle takes place across a week. The 2024 Ring will be presented in three cycles:
Cycle I: 16 – 22 June 2024
Das Rheingold 16 June
Die Walküre 18 June
Siegfried 20 June
Götterdämmerung 22 June
Cycle II: 25 June – 30 June 2024
Das Rheingold 25 June
Die Walküre 26 June
Siegfried 28 June
Götterdämmerung 30 June
Cycle III: 4 – 9 July 2024
Das Rheingold 4 July
Die Walküre 5 July
Siegfried 7 July
Götterdämmerung 9 July
There will also be a series of events around each Cycle, between performance days. More details will be announced in the coming months.
In the first instance only tickets to the full cycles will be available, and bookings cannot be split across multiple cycles. Booking a Ring Cycle ticket secures the same seat for all Ring productions.
Priority booking for the Ring opens from 9 October 2023 in priority order by membership level. Public booking opens on 4 December 2023.
Individual Ring productions will open for booking in early 2024.
A TREMENDOUS TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY NEGUS, WHO PROBABLY KNOWS THE RING BETTER THAN ANY OTHER LIVING BRITISH CONDUCTOR
The Times ★★★★☆
STANDS OUT ON ITS OWN HIGHLY CREDITABLE TERMS
Classical Source ★★★★☆
AS FINE WAGNER AS COULD BE WISHED
The Guardian ★★★★☆
POWERFUL STUFF FROM A REMARKABLY FINE CAST OF SINGERS
Opera magazine
In a violent storm, a stranger takes refuge in the home of Sieglinde and Hunding.
On Hunding’s return it becomes clear that the unarmed stranger is in flight from Hunding’s kinsmen. The law demands that Siegmund be offered hospitality for the night, but Hunding warns that revenge will follow in the morning.
Sieglinde gives Hunding a sleeping draught and tells the stranger of the sword buried in the tree. As they share their stories, mutual feelings grow swiftly into a passionate expression of love.
Sieglinde, drawing on her earliest memories, also realises that he is no stranger. He is her twin brother, and she names him – Siegmund.
In the strength of this new identity, Siegmund draws the sword from the tree, and brother and sister escape as Bride and Bridegroom.
Wotan sees in Siegmund an opportunity to regain the ring of power that was lost during the events of Das Rheingold, held now in the clutches of the giant, Fafner. Wotan asks his favourite daughter, the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, to protect Siegmund in his coming fight with Hunding.
Fricka, wife of Wotan and Goddess of Marriage, is outraged by Wotan’s infidelity and the incestuous behaviour of the twins. On Fricka’s demand, Wotan must order Brünnhilde to let Siegmund fall in the battle with Hunding. Wotan shares his history and darkest moments with Brünnhilde and then gives Fricka’s order to the Valkyrie: Siegmund must die in the battle.
As Sieglinde and Siegmund flee from Hunding, Brünnhilde appears and ultimately offers her protection. Siegmund and Hunding fight, and Wotan shatters his son’s sword, causing Siegmund’s death. Brünnhilde carries Sieglinde and the splintered sword away, Wotan vowing revenge for her disobedience.
The Valkyries gather on the rocky mountain, before taking the dead heroes up to Wotan and Valhalla.
Brünnhilde brings Sieglinde to them, begging for their support in the face of Wotan’s anger. She reveals that Sieglinde is carrying a child who will be called Siegfried, but they refuse to help her for fear of Wotan’s wrath.
Brünnhilde gives Sieglinde the shattered pieces of the sword, Nothung, which one day Siegfried will forge again. She then sends Sieglinde off to the forest to fend for herself, remaining to receive Wotan’s judgement.
Wotan arrives in a huge storm, and as punishment for her disobedience strips Brünnhilde of her powers, removing her immortality. He places her into a deep sleep, for a mortal man to come and claim her as Wife. On Brünnhilde’s insistence, Wotan surrounds the rock on which she sleeps with fire: only a fearless hero worthy of her will be able to brave the flames.
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