The second opera in Richard Wagner’s “Ring Cycle,” “Die Walkure,” is this week’s Sunday Opera (6/10 3:00 p.m.) from the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Wotan’s daughters, the Valkyries. are charged with determining who will live or die in battle, and when Wotan’s favorite, Brunnhilde, disobeys him and allows Siegmund to live, she is stripped of her powers, turned mortal, and encircled by a magic flame to remain in an enchanted sleep forever.
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, the cast includes Brandon Jovanovich as Siegmund, Elisabet Strid as Siglinde, Christine Goerke as Brunnhilde, Eric Owens as Wotan, and Ain Anger as Hunding. Join Michael Kownacky after the opera for more music of Wagner including is Fantasia in F sharp minor for piano and his well-known “Imperial March.” (Note: Because of the length of the opera, all subsequent programming will begin one hour later than usual.)
