Due to the coronavirus epidemic the Opera House is closed, and all the remaining Opera and Ballet performances of the spring season are cancelled. We want to secure the health and safety of our audiences and our staff.
The second part of Richard Wagner’s RING tetralogy, Die Walküre, and the last ballet premiere of the spring, COW, will be postponed to autumn season.
Wotan is making Valhalla stronger, fathering Valkyrie daughters who gather the greatest war heroes to protect Valhalla. In a battle against the ruthless Hunding, Wotan swears an oath that he will sacrifice his son Sigmund to safeguard the order of the gods.
The growing passion between Sigmund and Sieglinde tempers the chaos of conflict and war with nuances of great love. The story of the lovers gives rise to Siegfried, Part III of the Ring cycle.
Recommended for children over the age of 12.
– Esa-Pekka Salonen
Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelungs), also called the Ring cycle, is an opera tetralogy composed by Richard Wagner. Ever since this extraordinary work saw its world premiere in Bayreuth in 1876, it’s been counted among the greatest artistic achievements of Western culture. The Ring is based on ancient German and Nordic tales. The four operas are set in a mythical world, but their themes are equally pertinent in the modern day.
A strange man seeks shelter at the house of the warrior Hunding. The stranger tells Hundig’s wife Sieglinde that he does not know his name, but remembers that his sister was abducted and that he is being hunted. Sieglinde is attracted to the stranger and gives Hunding a sleeping potion to stop him from confronting the fugitive. Sieglinde explains that at their wedding feast, a mysterious one-eyed Wanderer plunged a sword into a tree in the centre of the room. She watches as the stranger pulls the sword free, confirming her suspicions that he must be Siegmund, her brother. It is revealed that
both Sieglinde and Siegmund were fathered by Wotan, who came to Earth disguised as the Wanderer.
Wotan’s daughter, the goddess Brünnhilde, pleads with Wotan to protect Siegmund, but Wotan’s wife Fricka demands justice for Hunding. Wotan is forced to sacrifice his mortal son Siegmund. As Hundig and Siegmund do battle, Wotan intervenes and breaks Siegmund’s sword with his spear. Hunding then kills him. Brünnhilde gathers the remains of the sword and takes flight with Sieglinde, who is pregnant with Siegmund’s child. Brünnhilde and Sieglinde arrive at the assembly of the Valkyrie, the goddess daughters of Wotan charged with gathering the souls of fallen heroes for the Valhalla army. The Valkyrie dare not defy Wotan and Sieglinde is forced to flee with the remains of the sword. Wotan punishes Brünnhilde for protecting Siegmund by trapping her on a mountain top, encircled in a magic flame.
A full synopsis and background information are available in the programme booklet.
If you visit us several times a year and would like to ensure yourself a seat at future premieres, a season ticket is the perfect choice for you. As a season ticket holder, you'll be entitled to special discounts, wonderful benefits and a designated seat in the auditorium.
Season tickets 2019–2020 are sold out.
Choose your favourite refreshments from this season’s tasty menu. You can easily add refreshments to your shopping basket while selecting tickets in our online store.
The services of the Opera Restaurant are available before performances and during the interval. Order beforehand and avoid the queues.
Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific table for orders made via the online store. We may also seat several parties at the same table. You may be assigned a bar height table for enjoying refreshments standing up.
As a guest of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet you will enjoy the hospitality of Helsinki Radisson Blu Hotels at a special price.
We offer you 20% off the daily rate. Luxury accommodation includes accommodation for two at your chosen hotel in Helsinki, glasses of sparkling on arrival, relaxing Blu Dreams and a superb Super Breakfast.
The purpose of Esa-Pekka Salonen's fund is to support new opera and ballet arts with a particular focus on technology. The fund provides financial support as well as awards, grants and stipends to individuals involved in the work of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. It supports commissions of new compositions and multimedia productions, as well as other projects in line with the fund’s purpose. The fund may also make donations to the Foundation of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet
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