Review Roundup: DIE WALKÜRE at Lyric Opera Of Chicago - What Did The Critics Think?

DIE WALKÜRE runs through November 30 at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Lyric continues the thrilling journey through Wagner's monumental Ring cycle with Die Walküre. This is the most deeply moving and romantic of all the Ring operas. Its riveting, devastating drama involves complex relationships between brother and sister, husband and wife, father and daughter. Every character is unforgettable-valiant Siegmund and Sieglinde, headstrong Brünnhilde and mighty, tortured Wotan, determined Fricka and vengeful Hunding. Wagner's music drama burns itself on our memories, exciting us with the emotional intensity of its lyrical outbursts and its incredible power and majesty.

The cast stars Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde, Elisabet Strid as Sieglinde, Tanka Ariane Baumgartner as Fricka, Brandon Javanovich as Siegmund, Eric Owens as Wotan, Ain Anger as Hunding, Whitney Morrison as Gerhilde, Alexandra LoBianco as Helmwige, Laura Wilde as Ortlinde, Catherine Martin as Waltraute, Deborah Nansteel as Siegrune, Lindsay Ammann as Rossweisse, Zanda Šv?de as Grimgerde, and Lauren Decker as Schwertleite.

DIE WALKÜRE is conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, with direction by David Pountney, original set design by Johan Engels, set design by Robert Innes Hopkins, costume design by Marie-Jeanna Lecca, lighting design by Fabrice Kebour, and choreography by Denni Sayers.

Let's see what the critics had to say!

Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times: The production is full of entertaining touches and striking imagery. If Mr. Pountney has any particular interpretive take on Wagner's work, I didn't see it; the same was true of his "Rheingold." But the staging is certainly theatrical, and Mr. Pountney lays out the story clearly. He also excels at drawing compellingly acted performances from a strong cast, starting here with the soprano Christine Goerke, an arresting Brünnhilde.

John von Rhein, The Chicago Tribune: Once again the singing by a splendid international cast, the stylish conducting of music director Andrew Davis, the fine orchestral work and production values all are of the highest international caliber... With Lyric's new "Walkure," Davis is celebrating his 30th anniversary at Lyric in style. One admired the wealth of instrumental detail and magnificent floods of Wagnerian sonority he drew from the orchestra, augmented to include a set of Wagner tubas and four harps.

Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review: Christine Goerke's Brünnhilde was on the same level. Few sopranos have the power and agility to tackle this daunting role so convincingly and Goerke wholly embodied the title role, handling the myriad vocal demands with aplomb... Despite the lame tastelessness of Pountney's treatment of their characters, the Valkyries proved a powerfully sung octet of warrior sisters..The Lyric Opera Orchestra-as seasoned and idiomatic a Wagner band as exists today-brought gleaming corporate ensemble and stellar solo contributions with especially atmospheric and characterful playing from the horns and woodwinds.

Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News Magazine: Certain elements were dubious. Brünnhilde's fear of possession by an unworthy man was punctuated with a gang of creepy lowlifes who clustered about to leer at her, an unnecessary invention. The unflinching depiction of the Valkyries' bloody bounty was also questionable, as a sea of mutilated corpses and seeping body bags rather suggested that their ride took place at the Six Flags Fright Fest. The singing overrode objection, however, as the present production's Valkyries were easily the most thrilling assemblage heard at Lyric in more than two decades.

Santosh Venkataraman, Opera Wire: Conductor Sir Andrew Davis and the orchestra did a fine job in more than augmenting what was on stage in bringing forth the drama. This was especially the case because in truth parts of "Walküre" can get tedious as expected for any work of this length. It's a definite that this production will gain polish with each subsequent performance and my plan is to see this epic staging yet again during this run to further unpack its mysteries.

Photo: Cory Weaver

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