The Chéreau Ring: Die Walküre (Bayreuth, 1980)

One of the most beautiful images of this "Ring of the Century" adaptation is the Valkyrie Rock in the final act of the second opera of the cycle, created while revising the production: stage designer Richard Peduzzi based the fairy-tale monumental structure on Arnold Böcklin's painting of Toteninsel. Patrice Chéreau, who had begun his career as a director of spoken theater, encourages an unusually intense portrayal of siblings and lovers Siegline (Jeannine Altmeyer) and Siegmund (Peter Hofmann) and there remains controversy over the fact that Wotan, the father of the gods, is not only morally responsible for Siegmund's death, as in the original, but pierces Siegmund himself with his spear.

Soloists: 

Peter Hofmann (Tenor), Matti Salminen (Bass), Donald McIntyre (Baritone), Jeannine Altmeyer (Soprano), Gwyneth Jones (Soprano), Hanna Schwarz (Mezzo-Soprano), Carmen Reppel (Soprano), Karen Middleton (Soprano), Gabriele Schnaut (Mezzo-Soprano), Gwendolyn Killebrew (Alto), Katie Clarke (Soprano), Marga Schiml (Mezzo-Soprano), Ilse Gramatzki (Alto), Elisabeth Glauser (Mezzo-Soprano)

Ensemble: 

Bayreuth Festival Orchestra

Conductor: 

Pierre Boulez