Opera Die Walküre(2)

Presenter

China National Opera House

China National Opera House, established in 1952, is a national level theatre under China Ministry of Culture. It is a high standard theatre in China and the Asian-pacific area at present. The theatre consists of opera ensemble, the chorus, the Symphony Orchestra and the stage design department.

The opera ensemble boasts excellent opera performers who have won many important music awards in and out of China and has been very active on China and world opera stages. Most of the performers of the chorus troupe are graduates from famous academies of music of China, who are all well educated performers. The chorus has played a wide range of operas of different styles in and out of China. The symphony orchestra is famous for its instrumental performance, and has abundant operas that are played in world stage. Besides high quality décor design for theatre opera and concerts, they have also participated in many major performances and events. The opera troupe is one with competent composers, conductors, directors and stage designers etc. The Present Head of the Troupe is famous composer Liu Xijin.

For over half a century, with effort of several generations of artists, the troupe has given many premieres and has promoted many world classic operas. In the summer of 1988, with the invitation of Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finland), the troupe went to Finland and performed Madama Butterfly, Carmen and the Reguiem by Verdi, as well as some other Chinese music. The performance was highly received by the media. The troupe has also been to Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao; operas played in these countries and areas were all well received. Starting from 1992, the chorus and the symphony orchestra have played in Macao International Music Festival for 10 consecutive years and was highly praised by the organization committee and the audience. In 2008, the troupe brought its original play Farewell, My Concubine to San Fransico, New York and Washington. This performance drew the attention of American artist and media. After the opening up of China, the troupe further expanded its communication with other international groups. In 1986, the cooperation of the opera La Boheme with world renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti was a big success. In 1999, they achieved another collaboration with tenor Jose Carreras. In July 2010, the three world class tenors all joined the celebration of China's successfully bidding for the Olympic Games. Chinese opera is growing with ever stronger momentum.

Synopsis

It is the part II of German musician Wagner's famous opera Der Ring Des Nibelungen. Siegmund and Sieglinde are Wotan's illegitimate children; they lose touch with each other in the tribal fight. Sieglinde is forced to marry Hunding whom she dislikes but later meets and falls in love with Siegmund at Hunding's. Brünnhilde, a daughter of Wotan and Erda, protects Siegmund as Wotan orders. Due to the coercion of Fricka (Wotan's wife) that his son should die in battle, Siegmund then is killed by Hunding in the duel. Brünnhilde is compelled to flee with Sieglinde because of her contrary to her father's modificatory order and the protection given to Sieglinde. She hands over the sword fragment of Siegmund to Sieglinde and foretells Sieglinde will give birth to the greatest hero Siegfried and faces her father's anger alone. Wotan deprives her deity and kicks her out of the female warlords and makes her asleep on the rock and swears that the first man who wakes her up would be her husband. Moved by Brünnhilde's hard beg, Wotan agrees finally that a fire around Brünnhilde is lighted as requested. 'Fear of the gun in my hand and you are not allowed to overstep this flame!' shouts Wotan who later strides over the flame with grief and gradually disappears.