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Die Walkure continues the action introduced in Das Rheingold. The emphasis moves from the gods to the realm of men. In fact, among the gods, only Wotan and Fricka ever appear again in the entire Ring Cycle.
Walkure is different from Rheingold in that Wagner begins to pour into his music all the emotion of which he is capable. While Rheingold is somewhat formal and somewhat stodgy in form and music, Walkure is pure emotional bliss. Wagner has no problem with using music to manipulate his listeners in just the way he wants.
As the prelude begins, a storm is raging outside a small hut in the woods. There is a large tree in the middle of the hut. We hear the motif of Donner that was introduced at the end of Rheingold. As the storm slowly begins to subside, a stranger enters the hut weakened and weary and collapses.
A young woman emerges from a room in the hut and sees the stranger. At once, she feels compassion for him. The stranger cries out for a drink, and she runs to fetch him water. The stranger gently asks the woman her name. She replies that she and the house are the property of Hunding, and she urges the man to remain as a guest until his return. The stranger tells her a little of his story stating that he is slightly wounded and unarmed after fleeing from pursuers in a melee in which his spear and shield were destroyed. The woman runs to fetch him a drink of mead, and as the stranger urges her to drink first, a luxurious melody indicates the beginning of love between the two.
The stranger suddenly stands and states that he must leave before he brings misfortune upon this house, as it follows him everywhere. The woman pleads with him to remain, as he can't bring misfortune to a place where it already lives. The stranger names himself Wehwalt (woeful), and states that he will remain and meet Hunding.
The pair startles as Hunding enters and suspiciously eyes the stranger. The woman tells Hunding she has tended this stranger in need and Hunding offers his home as shelter to him. As he tells the the woman to fetch a meal, he notices the stranger's resemblence to his wife, and the familiar spear motif softly hints at who this stranger may be. Hunding asks the stranger to tell his tale, and finally at the woman's urging, he begins his strange story.
He again refers to himself as Wehwalt and tells of how he and his twin sister were born to a strong warrior named Wolfe and his wife. He and his father made plenty of enemies. One day after hunting they returned to find his mother dead, the home burned to ground, and his sister missing. The two fleed their pursuers for a long time as nomads. Hunding indicates he has heard tales of the pair, and the woman urges him to continue his story. The stranger tells how when the two were out hunting, they became separated and all he found left of his father was a wolfskin. The Valhalla motif tells us exactly who Wolfe was. The stranger continues stating he ran into fueds wherever he went and only stirred up misery, thus his name Wehwalt. Hunding states that the stranger suffers an accursed fate and that he is sorry he has granted him sanctuary. The woman calls Hunding a coward, and asks the stranger to tell how he came to them wounded and weaponless. Wehwalt tells of a woman being forced into a marriage she did not want. He intervened for her and slew all her brothers in battle. The kinsman of the brothers came to do battle against him. He slew many but was wounded and his weapons broken. The girl was killed and Wehwalt hunted by the mob. The Walsung motif is heard for the first time.
Hunding furiously reveals that he is one of the said kinsman. He grants the stranger one night in his home because he has offer him sanctuary, but warns him to be ready for battle come morning. He tells the woman to prepare his night drink and leave the room. As she does, she motions toward the tree as if trying to tell the stranger something. As she does, the sword motif rings out. She leaves the room and Hunding warns Wehwalt to be on his guard.
The hearth's fire begins to fade as Wehwalt begins a monologue detailing how his father promised him he would find a sword in his moment of deepest distress. As he remembers the lovely wife of Hunding, he cries out to his father, who he names Walsa, to show him the sword. As he does, a flash from the tree catches his eye. He wonders what it is, but is soon lost in thought again by the woman and how her gaze burns in his heart.
The woman enters and tells him she has drugged Hunding and that he should flee. She then details to him how robbers had taken her and given her to Hunding for his wife. At a gathering of Hunding's kin, a strange yet familiar man cloaked in grey entered and thrust a sword into the tree. The blade would belong to whomever could pull it out of the tree. All the men tried and failed to remove it, and it remained there to this day. The woman has recognized Wehwalt as the man who could remove the sword and free her from her captivity.
Suddenly, the wind opens the door, Wehwalt begins his Spring song describing how the Winter has tried to keep Love and Spring apart, but they are reunited as brother and sister, man and wife. The woman answers him with her own narrative saying he is the Spring for which she has longed. As their passion ensues, they realize how much alike they are. Eventually, Wehwalt reveals his father to be Walsa. Immediately the woman understands who he is, and names him by his real name, Siegmund.
Siegmund grabs the sword, gives it the name Notung (in time of need), and draws it from the tree. The woman reveals herself to be his twin sister, Sieglinde, and the two run out into the night as Siegmund declares they shall be husband and wife.
Following the prelude, Wotan urges Brunnhilde to prepare to defend Siegmund in battle. She replies with her battle cry, then quickly leaves as she sees Fricka approaching in a furious storm. Fricka approaches Wotan demanding justice for Hunding as she is the protector of marriage. Wotan tries to brush her off by stating that Siegmund and Sieglinde are in love, but in an emotional narrative, she details how Wotan has always ignored the nobility of marriage by fathering Brunnhilde and her nine sisters in an adulterous relationship with Erda. Now he is choosing to protect two humans who he fathered to a mortal over his own wife. As the defender or oaths, Wotan is forced to relent to Fricka's demands that he abandon Siegmund. She forces him to swear to allow Siegmund's sword to break in battle.
Brunnhilde returns as Fricka departs. A motif representing Wotan's lamenting is heard. In a long monologue, Wotan tells Brunnhilde of the ring and its curse. His desire to reclaim the ring led him to father the Walsung children in hope that they would retrieve it for him. Fricka has caught him in a trap of his own making, and now Brunnhilde must forsake Siegmund and fight for Hunding. Brunnhilde states that she will not turn away from Siegmund, and Wotan's wrath is revealed in a new motif. He commands Brunnhilde to obey him and leaves in a violent storm. Brunnhilde laments Siegmund's fate to herself
Siegmund and Sieglinde enter. She is exhausted by their flight, and she urges him to leave her. Siegmund declares that they will wait for their pursuers and he shall pay them back with Notung. Hunding's horns are heard in the distance. Sieglinde faints as she imagines Hundings dogs tearing Siegmund apart as his sword breaks.
As Siegmund tends to Sieglinde, Brunnhilde appears accompanied by the annunciation of death motif. She informs Siegmund that he must accompany her to Valhalla as Hunding will slay him. Siegmund laughs at her and shows her Notung, with which he intends to kill Hunding. Brunnhilde tells him the sword will fail him in battle. Siegmund decides to kill Sieglinde in her sleep and then himself. Brunnhilde is overcome with emotion and tells Siegmund she will disobey Wotan's command and help Siegmund to victory. She tells Siegmund to prepare for battle and then departs.
Siegmund leaves Sieglinde in her sleep and leaves to fight Hunding. Sieglinde dreams of her youth when her house was burnt and her mother killed and awakes in a start to the sound of Hunding's horn. Hunding and Siegmund fight as Brunnhilde protects Siegmund. As Siegmund is about to deliver a mortal blow, Wotan appears in a flash of lightning and breaks Notung with his staff. Hunding kills Siegmund, and Brunnhilde carries Sieglinde away on her horse. Wotan disgustedly kills Hunding with a wave of his hand as he looks upon Siegmund sorrowfully. His sorrow gives way to rage, however, as he storms off after Brunnhilde vowing to punish her for her disobedience.
The third act opens with the famous Ride of the Valkyries. Two Valkyries, Gerhilde and Helmwige, are carrying two fallen warriors to Valhalla on their flying steeds. The two laugh racously as their passengers attempt to continue their battle even in flight. One by one, the other Valkyries join them until eight in all are riding together. At last, Brunnhilde arrives carrying Sieglinde. The Valkyries are surprised to see her carrying a woman, but are even more shocked when they hear that Brunnhilde is fleeing Wotan, whom she has disobeyed.
As the Valkries see a storm approaching in the distance, Brunnhilde pleads with them to help her rescue Sieglinde, but none dares disobey Wotan. Finally, Sieglinde speaks up and tells Brunnhilde to kill her as she does not wish to live without Siegmund. Brunnhilde then tells her Seiglinde is pregnant with Siegmund's child, upon which Sieglinde begs for help. The Valkyries then tell Brunnhilde to send Sieglinde to the nearby woods where Wotan never goes. There, Fafner guards the Nibulung horde in the form of a fierce dragon, transformed by the Tarnhelm. To the motif of Siegfried, Brunnhilde tells Sieglinde that she will bear a child who will become the greatest hero in the world and she names him Siegfried - joyous in victory. Sieglinde responds with a glorious melody - the redemption by love motif - hailing Brunnhilde, and then flees on Brunnhilde's steed.
Wotan arrives in a storm, and demands to know where Brunnhilde is hiding. Brunnhilde steps out from behind the other Valkyries to accept her punishment. Wotan responds that he does not punish her, but she punishes herself through her disobedience. In an emotional narrative, Wotan tells her he will never again send her from Valhalla, nor shall she ever set foot among the immortals as she is forever banished. Wotan continues by stating that he will put her to sleep upon the rock on which they stand, and she shall become the wife of whatever man comes along and finds her. The horrified Valkyries beg their father to stay his punishment, but Wotan threatens them with the same fate if they remain. The eight fly away distraught.
Brunnhilde stands alone with Wotan and asks him if what she did was so wrong. She describes how she intended to carry out his orders, but was moved to compassion by Siegmund's love for Sieglinde. Eventually, Wotan's anger subsides, but he stands firm on his punishment. He shall put Brunnhilde to sleep upon the rock, and she shall belong to whatever man finds her and wakes her. Brunnhilde begs him to surround the rock with a blazing fire that will frighten away all but the mightiest of heroes. Wotan begins his impassioned, loving farewell to Brunnhilde as he decribes how she was always the apple of his eye. The sleep motif gently plays as she drifts off into slumber. Finally, Wotan summons Loge to surround the rock with fire by strinking the rock three times with his staff. The magic fire music sounds as the rock is encircled with flame. The opera concludes as Wotan declares that anyone who fears the tip of his spear shall never pass through the fire. He then leaves the sleeping Brunnhilde to her fate as a beautiful passage composed of the Siegfried, sleep, and magic fire motifs fades quietly away.
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