Episode 13 – Wotan’s Rage, etc. (Act 3) Artwork

Soft Valkyrie

Can someone whisper Die Walküre in your ear? With opera, you do not think of whispers or sighs but of strong classical voices in grand, spectacular set pieces. But the composer and game designer David Kanaga has turned Richard Wagner’s famous opera into a podcast. In Die Walküre, the second part of Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen, the supreme god Wotan punishes his daughter Brünnhilde for not following his orders. He makes her mortal and locks her up in a mountain surrounded by fire. While closely following Wagner’s notes and storyline, Kanaga’s background in the world of gaming can be heard in his use of electronic instruments and sound effects full of humour, drama and mysticism. The parts are sung by an atypical cast, ranging from classically trained vocalists like Claron McFadden to the demonic voice artist Attila Csihar – sung to be listened to on headphones rather than in an opera house. The result is intimate, light and less domineering than the original. One might even say: soft. A warm narrating voice turns Wagner’s stage instructions into a magical radio play in which the entire drama takes place in listeners’ imagination.Each of the three acts of Die Walküre will be divided into several podcast episodes for Soft Valkyrie. The episodes of the first act will be released on June 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th. The episodes of the second and third acts will follow later.

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Soft Valkyrie

Episode 13 – Wotan’s Rage, etc. (Act 3)

June 16, 2022 • Season 1 • Episode 13

Previously on Soft Valkyrie. Brunhilde arrived at the Valkyrie’s rock, where her sisters were gathering with corpses of heroes to bring to Valhalla, Wotan’s debt-plagued palace of death. She asked for someone to help with Sieglinde, who exited East with a sublime finale. But no sooner was this goal achieved than Wotan appeared in a fury, preparing to inflict the severest punishment on his daughter for her insubordination.

Click here for the full-score and for the libretto.

Soft Valkyrie

Presented and commissioned by Holland Festival in collaboration with Staatsoper Hannover and Dutch National Opera.

Full Credits

Music and libretto - Richard Wagner

English translation - Frederick Jameson

Direction & MIDI arrangement - David Kanaga

VOICES

Siegmund - Bryan the Mensah

Sieglinde - Hailey Clark

Hunding - Attila Csihar

Wotan - Mattijs van de Woerd

Fricka - Nadine Secunde

Brünnhilde - Claron McFadden

Valkyries - Mercedes Arcuri (Gerhilde, Helmwige), Clara Nadesdin (Ortlinde, Siegrune), Weronika Rabek (Waltraute, Grimgerde), Monika Walerowicz (Rossweisse, Schwertleite)

INSTRUMENTS

MIDI Piano, Act 1 - Marc Evanstein

MIDI Piano, act 2 and 3 - Ernst Munneke

Additional Flute on Siegmund’s “Winterstürme” - Jonas Pologe

SFX packs - Ableton, SOPHIE, Spectrasonics

PRODUCTION

Casting - David Kanaga, Christian Carlstedt

Dramaturgy - Laura Roling, Manon Schreurs

Commissioned and co-produced by Holland Festival, Dutch National Opera, Staatsoper Hannover

With the support of NTR Radio 4

Special thanks to Sound department Staatstheater Hannover, Soho Square Studios London, Splendor Amsterdam, Jochem Valkenburg, Jasper Berben