Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Flying women in funny hats

No, nothing to do with women and peripatetic bishops, this is part of Act 3 of Wagner's Die Walküre (not act 2 as the youtube notes say)

This is the Bayreuth Pierre Boulez version - I remember watching it with an entranced 5(?) year old daughter when it was first shown on the television back in the 1980's. It's one of the darkest moments Siegmund is dead, his lover Sieglinde wants only death but she is told that she is pregnant - stay for that thrilling moment. (I'm afraid there are no subtitles!)
'Oh herstes Wunder' - towards the end of this clip. There is hope even at this point, the work is wonderfully sung and visually ravishing! Gwyneth Jones and Jeannine Altmeyer.
I've just been watching a cartoon version of Die Rheingold but give me human actors anytime.
And I won't mention X-Factor.

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