Die Walküre

Act One

Seeking shelter from a tremendous storm, unarmed and running from his enemies, Siegmund spots a house built around a huge ash tree. Seeing no one inside, he enters to rest a moment in front of the fire (‘Wes Herd dies auch sei’). Nervous to find a stranger in her house, Sieglinde speaks out gently but gets no response at first. Siegmund is too exhausted to move, and without looking up, simply asks her for some water. Sieglinde quickly obliges.

As Siegmund takes the drink from her, he notices Sieglinde’s beauty and is immediately captivated by it. Sieglinde offers for him to stay there, in Hunding’s house, as his guest. She tends to his wounds, and offers him a drink of mead, while he tells her his story of how he got there and who he is (‘Einen Unseligen labtest du’). He tells her that his name is ‘Wehwalt’ (Woeful) and he brings ill fate everywhere he goes. When he tries to leave, Sieglinde pleads with him to stay; ill fate is already in this house. Struck by Sieglinde’s