Lyric's New Production of DIE WALKÜRE Opens 11/1

Die Walküre focuses on the conflict between Wotan, king of the gods, and his mortal son, Siegmund, who has unwittingly fallen in love with his own twin, Sieglinde, the wife of the brutish Hunding. This arouses the wrath of Wotan's wife, Fricka (goddess of marriage), and the compassion of Wotan's daughter, the warrior-maiden Brünnhilde. The turning point of the opera arrives when Brünnhilde disobeys her father by siding with Siegmund in the latter's fight against Hunding. Both Siegmund and Hunding are killed, and Wotan punishes Brünnhilde.

Music Director Sir Andrew Davis celebrates his 30th anniversary at Lyric by conducting all performances of Die Walküre -- including one on November 14, the actual anniversary date. Lyric is dedicating the new production to Sir Andrew to celebrate this milestone.

Taboo-breaking love, violated vows, deadly disobedience, fierce retribution. Family dysfunction taken to the limits.

If you love Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones...come see what inspired those sagas.

The opening-night performance of Die Walküre on Wednesday, November 1, can be heard live locally on 98.7WFMT and globally on wfmt.com, beginning at 5:15pm.

For more information and to order tickets, visit lyricopera.org/Walküre or call 312-827-5600.

Lyric Opera of Chicago's mission is to express and promote the life-changing, transformational, revelatory power of great opera. Lyric exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to Chicago and the nation, and to advance the development of the art form.

Founded in 1954, Lyric is dedicated to producing and performing consistently thrilling, entertaining, and thought-provoking opera with a balanced repertoire of core classics, lesser-known masterpieces, and new works; to creating an innovative and wide-ranging program of community engagement and educational activities; and to developing exceptional emerging operatic talent.

Under the leadership of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming, Lyric strives to become The Great North American Opera Company for the 21st century: a globally significant arts organization embodying the core values of excellence, relevance, and fiscal responsibility.

To learn more about Lyric's new season, go to lyricopera.org. You can also join the conversation with @LyricOpera on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. #Lyric1718 #LongLivePassion