Outstanding Sieglinde debut by Signe Heiberg in Duisburg’s Die Walküre

Germany Wagner, Die Walküre: Soloists, Chorus of Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Duisburger Symphoniker / Vitali Alekseenok (conductor). Theater Duisburg, 8.3.2026. (DM-D)

The set showed the cavernous inside of a crumbling abode. It was the same environment for all three acts. Most of the action had to focus on the left-hand side of the space: a huge wooden table was placed there at the front, the ash tree was further back and a little further to the middle of the stage. For the action of Act I, the space was the appropriately dark and sinister abode of Hunding, with a focus on table and tree. A fireplace with an old-fashioned wood-burning range cooker was on the right-hand side of the stage. A door led out next to the cooker, and there was another one at the back of the stage, opening at times to allow in some golden light and stage fog, an indication of spring.

For Act II, the space had become the abode of the gods, deteriorated Valhalla, with Siegmund and Sieglinde seated at the table, together with Brünnhilde and one or two more of the Valkyries. Hunding had joined them, waiting for Fricka to argue his case with Wotan. In between acts, the ceiling was raised. For Act III, an army helicopter was placed on the stage towards the back. For the Ride of the Valkyries, bare-chested deceased soldiers emerged from it slowly, marked by open wounds. The entire space was engulfed by flames at the end, with Brünnhilde sitting motionless at the large table.

The lighting design underlined the bleak nature of the grey environment well, while the costumes emphasised Fricka’s insistence on keeping up appearances, the inherent or potential splendour of the Valkyries in their red evening dresses sometimes covered by greyish coats, while Wotan as well as Siegmund had grey-brown coats and Sieglinde wore a brown coat over a white dress. The symbolism of the costumes was particularly striking when, as a sign of their growing love, Sieglinde donned some of Siegmund’s clothes and vice versa. Dietrich W. Hilsdorf’s production worked well overall thanks to this environment, although the blocking around the large table was awkward when some of the characters at the table were positioned with their backs to the audience, faces invisible and not ideal in moments focusing on the subtle development of intimate relationships.

Signe Heiberg gave her role debut as Sieglinde. I was fortunate to have been able to follow the development of her voice over the three seasons of her employment at Stadttheater Bremerhaven, across roles such as Lady Macbeth, Rusalka, Tosca and the Marschallin. She has also sung Jenufa, Manon and Leonore (Fidelio) in Heidelberg, adding Sieglinde to her repertory at the very best of times in terms of her vocal development. She sang the role with complete confidence, assuredness and, most importantly, ease. The voice was well grounded in the lower register, with smooth register transitions. She provided a rich range of nuances in terms of volume and intensity, cogently aligned with the interpretation of the lines in question. Her diction was precise and always comprehensible. Piani were gentle and moving, and mindful crescendi led to carefully moulded, crafted and executed soaring, floating, exciting forte passages, well-sustained rather than brief shrieks.

Alison Oakes as Brünnhilde was announced as suffering from a cold, and soprano Dara Hobbs had in fact been brought in on the day as a cover, ready to sing from the side of the stage at a moment’s notice if necessary. As it happened, Hobbs did not have to step in, and Oakes sang without noticeable shortcomings. I have not heard her on the stage before and cannot thus judge her performance in Duisburg by comparison. I would hope the Deutsche Oper am Rhein will reward Hobbs with a regular house debut!

Samuel Sakker sang Siegmund. His voice had a baritonal foundation and a steady if harsh vibrato that sometimes affected both intonation and clarity of diction. The voice was at its best, approaching vocal beauty, when it was open and sounded free. Sakker has hopefully yet to overcome current obstacles to such vocal freedom.

James Rutherford was a strong Wotan, well able to use his vocal power for the duration of the evening without the need to hold back to sustain the long farewell scene at the end. He movingly and believably conveyed Wotan’s despair, as well as his wrath. Anna Harvey emphasised Fricka’s relish at getting, through Hunding’s request, her chance at some revenge on Wotan for the numerous times he had betrayed her with other women. Her mezzo soprano was well rounded and melodious. Thorsten Grümbel was suitably sinister as Hunding, his voice on the lean side, which worked well in line with his obvious physical unease in the company of the gods in Act II, an addition introduced in this production. The eight singers presenting the Valkyries relished their encounters with the orchestra at full blast.

Vitali Alekseenok’s approach to the score was above all robust. There was much emphasis on brass and percussion, at the expense of a multi-layered, nuanced interweaving of instrument groups. While he did not drown out the singers, many of the voices were definitely in fierce competition, even battle, with the music rather than in unison with or supported by it. Heiberg was the exception, soaring gloriously above it whenever necessary.

Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe

Featured Image: Allison Oakes (Brünnhilde) and James Rutherford (Wotan) © Matthias Jung

Production:
Director – Dietrich W. Hilsdorf
Revival director – Nils Braun
Stage design – Dieter Richter
Costume design – Renate Schmitzer
Lighting design – Volker Weinhart
Dramaturgy – Bernhard F. Loges

Cast:
Siegmund – Samuel Sakker
Hunding –  Thorsten Grümbel
Wotan –  James Rutherford
Sieglinde – Signe Heiberg
Brünnhilde – Allison Oakes
Fricka – Anna Harvey
Gerhilde – Luiza Fatyol
Ortlinde –  Lisa Wittig
Waltraute –  Romana Noack
Schwertleite – Rita Kapfhammer
Helmwige – Anna Theil
Siegrune – Annabel Kennedy
Grimgerde – Maria Polańska
Rossweisse –  Kimberley Boettger-Soller