A full house greeted the première of the second instalment of the Tetralogy at the Opéra National de Paris. The performance was eagerly anticipated, following a Rheingold that had left us with rather mixed impressions. Calixto Bieito’s staging, highly controversial though it may be, strikes us as more intelligible than that of Das Rheingold. And with good reason: the lyricism of Die Walküre, the dramatic continuity inherent in the work, and, in this particular production, the excellence of the performers’ interpretations, all combined to render the director’s intentions more perceptible.

Pablo Heras-Casado breathes an electrifying refinement into the score, sublimated by the unfailing artistry of the Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris. Proof of this lies not only in the lyrical surges of controlled power, slightly tempered, in keeping with his reading of Rheingold in the previous season, but above all in the silences: never weighed down nor unduly prolonged, they reveal the Spanish conductor’s constant quest to balance the elements that conjure that ethereal musical dimension, indispensable to the preservation of dramatic unity.

Stanislas de Barbeyrac deploys his highly cultivated resources to unfurl a spectrum of colours and textures in what may rightly be described as an irreproachable interpretation of Siegmund, so refined and so deeply imbued with the character’s tragic destiny, extending even to the spectre of infanticide, that it scarcely bears comparison with other portrayals we have seen or heard. Elza van den Heever, meanwhile, embodies a Sieglinde born of the communion of so many felicitous and accomplished lyrical experiences of recent years, allied to a dramatic talent that makes her an ideal interpreter. The partnership forged by these two outstanding singers is so organic, so instinctive, that the unfolding of subsequent events (above all Brünnhilde’s disobedience) appears as nothing less than an inevitable consequence.

Christopher Maltman has the intelligence to infuse his Wotan with a touch of irony, perfectly aligned with vocal resources of great distinction, whose brilliance never falters despite the demands of the role, while preserving the requisite inwardness in the second act. Tamara Wilson delivers nothing less than what one expects of a Brünnhilde: the perfect counterbalance to Maltman, ranging from youthful valour to the most assured femininity, conveying both clarity and amplitude. Without exaggeration, and with anticipation for the continuation of the Ring, this portrayal, so rich in intensity, must be counted among the finest interpretations of this extraordinary role.

His appearance as Hunding is brief, yet sufficient to remind us that Günther Groissböck – whatever the role he assumes, whatever the nature of the character – is able to elevate it through a voice that sweeps the listener away. Ève-Maud Hubeaux, for her part, succeeds in giving life and substance to a shrewish goddess in her portrayal of Fricka, with singing that never falters, even if the sheer weight of authority may render her performance somewhat monolithic. The other Valkyries in the cast prove equally capable of conjuring this thaumaturgic universe, while simultaneously inspiring the audience’s enthusiasm.

The production provokes comment and leaves no one indifferent. Loved or loathed, it elicits the most impassioned reactions not only from those who attended but even from those who did not, so great is its resonance. By virtue of the sheer breadth of the debate it has sparked, embracing the most seasoned connoisseurs as well as the least initiated, and encompassing music, staging, lighting, dramaturgical perspectives, in short, every aspect that invites discussion, this production stands as a remarkable achievement, and one well worth experiencing.

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Pablo Heras-Casado | Musical direction · Calixto Bieito | Stage direction · Rebecca Ringst | Set design · Sarah Derendinger | Videos · Ingo Krügler | Costume design · Bettina Auer | Dramatist · Michael Bauer | Lighting designer

Cast: Stanislas de Barbeyrac | Siegmund · Elza van den Heever | Sieglinde · Christopher Maltman | Wotan · Tamara Wilson | Brünnhilde · Ève-Maud Hubeaux | Fricka · Günther Groissböck | Hunding · Louise Foor | Gerhilde · Laura Wilde | Ortlinde · Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur | Waltraute · Katharina Magiera | Schwertleite · Jessica Faselt | Helmwige · Ida Aldrian | Siegrune · Marvic Monreal | Grimgerde · Marie-Luise Dreßen | Rossweiss · Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris · Chœurs de l’Opéra national de Paris. Cover photo credit: ©Herwig Prammer/Opéra National de Paris

(For further informations) Link to the Opéra National de Paris website: Die Walküre