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(More customer reviews)I was privileged to see James Morris perform the role of Wotan in another of the Ring operas, Das Rheingold. In this DVD, filmed over a decade before I saw him live, he is absolutely fabulous. He is a tall, imposingly built individual and with his great baritone/bass voice, he is made for this role. Hildegard Behrens (who I have also seen live many years ago) sings the role of Brunnhilde. She sings it well and does an enthusiastic job of acting. Of course, in a DVD the camera can pan in and therefore, the viewer can see that she was much older than the character Brunnhilde would have been. This is not a real drawback, however since this is inevitable in opera. There just don't happen to be 18 or 20 year old divas so, the role will naturally be played by someone a decade or two older. But when you see it live, your eyes cannot zoom in for a closeup as can a camera.
The highlight of Die walkure, for me, is the third act when Brunnhilde desparately tries to escape the wrath of her father, Wotan, for having defied him in her failure to cause Siegmund's death. She is unable to evade him for long and must take her punishment. I once read a description of this opera in which it is said that the fire of Wotan's anger goes away but not the steel. Brunnhilde's punishment is that she is to lose her godly powers and be put into a deep sleep to be awakened by the first man who finds her. She then must submit to this man as his wife.
The furious Wotan is bent upon carrying out the punsihment, however Brunnhilde's pleas weigh on his heart. Despite his anger, he loves her dearly. He cannot, however, go back on what he sees as his duty to carry out the punishment. But, as I said, the fire is now gone from his anger and he softens the blow. She pleads that she at least be claimed by a man who is a great hero, not some run of the mill mortal. Therefore, Wotan calls upon Loge, the god of fire to build a ring of fire around her as she sleeps so only a hero will be able to break through to claim her. The fact that Brunnhilde wants only to be claimed by a great hero is moving in an interesting way. Obviously, if anyone can find and awaken her, she will not be lost in a deep sleep for long. The first passerby, even if he is a total coward, will be able to claim her. However, she is willing to be lost in a deep slumber for decades or centuries, maybe forever, if a great enough hero never finds her. To her, the worse of the two fates would be to have to submit to a coward.
In all of the arts, this may be the most moving and emotional tear jerker of a scene. Wotan has granted her wish to be rescued only by a hero. Morris is so beautifully cast as a loving, fatherly Wotan. This powerful figure tenderly embraces his daughter as they say their emotional faiwells. The juxtoposition of his deep, tender love with his resolve to carry out the punishment is heart rending. I have seen this role sung by two other Wotans and to me, Morris is the best. By the way, I will see another Wotan in a few weeks since I have tickets to a performance at the Met.
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