★★★☆☆
The gods’ mission to take back control is going no better in the second instalment of Wagner’s Ring than it went in the first. Wotan has outsourced the job of getting the wretched ring back — only to be forced to abort the plan by his wife, Fricka. Then his daughter, Brünnhilde, does the dirty on him by following human love over Valkyrie duty. Now he’ll have to surrender her as well as his power.
Yes, there’s always a lot to get through in Die Walküre. Unfortunately at the Royal Opera House plenty was slipping out of the control of the performers too. It’s the second revival of Keith Warner’s production, but still there were glitches — hourglasses rolling across the floor, coats