The Magnificent Richard Wagner’s Opera Die Walker: “Ride of the Valkyries”

You may well recognize the exciting ominous music from Wagner’s Act III Scene 1 “Ride of the Valkyries” from movies, television and video games. The most memorable is in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. In the scene, where numerous Army assault helicopters ominously filled the sky to devastate a beach village, the Corporal flight commander explained that this opera music on their PA system “scarred the hell out of the gooks”. Intimidation has always been an unnerving force against enemies.

In this riveting 1876 Richard Wagner opera, scene III, Ride of the Valkyries, female Amazon warrior goddesses of Norse mythology wearing intimidating horned helmets skillfully fought in battles and brought back their fallen heroes to Valhalla, an institutional building where they were resurrected. Brünnhilde, the scary beauty pictured above, is the daughter of a god, chief of the Valkyries, and a fierce warrior. She, along with other Valkyries rode on flying horses to the menacing Wagner battlefield overtures, fought enemies, and brought back fallen heroes. In Wagner’s awesome, “spiritual vs. evil” drama, we experience divine wrath, murder, revenge, romance, unrequited love, and irrepressible passion. … What could be better?

There are many versions of this most famous opera, however I urge you to listen to the following incomparable and most complete operatic performance that includes the best “battle cry performance” of the Valkyrie, Brünnhilde.