Siefried: Reiner Goldberg (t)

Mime: Heinz Zednik (t)

Der Wanderer (Wotan): James Morris (b-br)

Brünnhilde: Hildegard Behrens (s)

The Metropolitan Opera Orch. & Cho. / James Levine

齊格弗里德：高德保（男高音）

米梅：薩力（男高音）

流浪者（佛坦）： 占士‧莫里斯（低男中音）

布倫希爾德：比倫士（女高音）

大都會歌劇院樂團及合唱團 / 利雲

The third opera from the monumental tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner (1813-1883) will be presented on two consecutive Sundays. We shall play the first two acts of Siegfried on 13 Sept and the final third act on 20 Sept.

This way of splitting the opera into two parts roughly corresponds to Wagner’s own interruption of the compositional process of the Ring cycle in 1856. After completing the first two acts of Siegfried, Wagner broke off his work on the cycle for 12 years, during which time the composer turned his attention to creating his great tragedy of love, Tristan und Isolde (1865), and his unique comedy, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1868).

By the time Wagner returned to the Ring project and completed Siegfried in 1869, his musical style and compositional technique had developed to such an advanced stage that he was able to approach his concept of the ideal music drama with great confidence and competence. It was from the third act of Siegfried onwards that Wagner began to come close to realizing his theory in which words, music, and stage action, participating in equal measure, blend into one cohesive work.

This opera describes the growth of the fearless and innocent young hero Siegfried to full stature of early manhood. It traces his first adventure through a Rhine journey guided by a mellifluous woodbird. The episode ends with Siegfried breaking through the circle of fire surrounding Brünnhilde. He awakens her and claims her as his bride.

Singing the title role is tenor Reiner Goldberg. Wotan, disguised as the Wanderer, is sung by bass James Morris; Mime is tenor Heinz Zednik; and Brünnhilde is portrayed by soprano Hildegard Behrens. James Levine conducts the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra.