English National Opera (ENO) will premiere Richard Jones’s new English-language production of Wagner’s The Valkyrie (Die Walküre, 1870) at the London Coliseum, the company’s West End home, in November.

This epic work is the second part of Wagner’s four-opera Ring saga (Der Ring des Nibelungen). The new production marks the start of a five-year collaboration which will see all four pieces staged at the London Coliseum.

The legendary tale centres on an emotional family feud, while scheming gods and brave heroes plunge the earth into conflict. Set in the mythical world of Midgard, the story is based on Norse legend. In Wagner’s version, the twins Sieglinde and Siegmund, who were separated in childhood, meet and fall in love.

This union angers the gods, who demand that Siegmund must die. Sieglinde and the couple’s unborn child are saved by the defiant actions of Wotan’s daughter, the valkyrie of the title, Brünnhilde, who as a result faces the gods’ retribution.

Award-winning theatre and opera director Richard Jones returns to ENO to direct this new version, following his 2015 production of Wagner’s The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, which won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production. ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins conducts the award-winning ENO Orchestra.

The cast includes British soprano Rachel Nicholls as Brünnhilde and British bass Matthew Rose as father of the gods Wotan. Accomplished mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley is Wotan’s wife Fricka. Scottish tenor Nicky Spence and British soprano Emma Bell sing the roles of twins Siegmund and Sieglinde respectively. Well-known British bass Brindley Sherratt takes on the part of Hunding, Sieglinde’s husband.

There are eight performances taking place between 19 November and 10 December; tickets cost £35-180 and are available now.

Rehearsals for the show are currently underway . A gallery of photos from the rehearsal room is available to view here.

 

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Richard Jones’s new production of Wagner’s epic masterpiece, The Valkyrie, for the English National Opera will premiere at the London Coliseum in November.