Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
DIE WALKURE."

"DE wALKURE" (the valkyries)
Richard Wagner's second opera of
the cycle THE Ring of the Nibelungen, -
opens the season of the German Grand
Opera Co. here tomorrow at 8 pm. at
Polls Theater.
THE Ring of the Nibelungen" is
actually a ring, made from the gold
stolen from the Daughters Of the Rhine,
supposed to possess the power to rule
the world. Wotan, head Of the gods
and present ruler of the world, has
wrested the ring from Alberich, the
Nibelung ruler of the dwarfs, who made
1t, in "Rhinegold" (the first opera).
Loge. god Of fire, has aided Wotan with
an Interior motive to gain the gold for
himself. Wotan's aims are frustrated
when Alberich puts a curse upon the
ring in revenge for its loss. May it
bring death to the wearer. May no
one profit by it, but may the possessor
be torn by anguish. May he who does
not possess it be consumed with envyl"
Wotan desired the gold to pay the
two giants Fafner and FaSolt, for the
building Of Walhalla, home of the gods.
Yet with cunning born of this thirst
for power, Wotan plots again to re-
capture the gold. For this end he
creates a mortal, Siegmund, who is to
STAY the giants with a magic sword and
With the opening of "Walkure" Sieg-
mund enters, exhausted from his battle
with the tempest that one hears raging
through the orchestral prelude of the
opera. Wotan's son, he was born with
twin sister whom he has not seen
since childhood. He enters her abode,
spent with fatigue, and then Wagner
brings in music Sieglinde's compassion"
as she cares for the stranger. strange
q DC al kNofxu
rally enough, since they are of godly
heritage though they know 1t not. They
fall in love and, to escape her brutal
husband. Hunding. flee into the forest.
Before they go Siegmund withdrawS
the magic sword that is imbedded in
tree in the cabin and which no mortal
before had ever been able to release.
Act 2 takes us to Wotan'S world.
Fricka, his wife. is furious because of
the power he has given his eight goddess
daughters whom he created to assuage
the ills of the world brought about by
the thirst for gold. Also, now comes
this second outrage, these ordinary
human beings" as she scornfully saws
Because of this unholy mating of Siep-
mund and Sieglinde, she demand Sie0-
mund's death. Wotan charges his
favorite daughter, Brunnhilde, to bring
| him Siegmund's soul to Walhalla, where
he gathers an army of fallen heroes.
Knowing her fathers sorrow at this
bidding, Brunnhilde dares to disobey
him and almost succeeds in protecting
Siegmund against Hundings wrath,
But Wotan interveneS and Siegmund is
slain.
Wotan is enraged at Brunnhilde's
disobedience and condemns her To a
most humiliating punishment She
must become mortal and live a
mortals life. Act finds her plead
ing against this fate. Wotan relents
enough to place her in magic sleep,
where she will lie surrounded bv pro-
tectlng flames, until the greatest hero
OF the world comes to awaken her. At
the close OF the opera, that has brought
us the famous music of the Ride of
the Valkyries," and then of the magic
f1re music, we hear bold theme thai
tells OF Siegfried, son of Siegmund and
Sleglnde, VINO Is to do so in the next
opera of the Rhine. -'''
TRISTAN AND ISOLDE"
The first act shows the deck of the
ship conveying Isolde and Tristan IN
cornwall, she having accented King
Marks proposal, made Through his
nephew. During the VOYAGE however
the refusal of Tristan to see her The
exultation of the sailors over the killino
OF Morold by Tristan (Which freed
Cornwall from its subsection to Isolde's
royal fathers) and disgust at the love
less marriage she Is about to contract
infuriates the princess and she resolves
to die and drag Tristan down to death
with her. She tells Tristan she is aware
of his crime in killing her lover and
demands vengeance. He admits her
right to kill him and offers his sword
but she bids hex maid, Brangane, pre-.