Eva-Maria

There was also an unexpected and, at first, unannounced substitution, mid-opera, for an indisposed Eva-Maria Westbroek, making her ill-fated Met debut as Sieglinde

Lee Rosenbaum: Fright Night at the Opera: Met's "Die Walküre" Enthralls, Despite Mishaps Lee Rosenbaum 2011

There was also an unexpected and, at first, unannounced substitution, mid-opera, for an indisposed Eva-Maria Westbroek, making her ill-fated Met debut as Sieglinde

Lee Rosenbaum: Fright Night at the Opera: Met's "Die Walküre" Enthralls, Despite Mishaps Lee Rosenbaum 2011

And it's apparent that most of our audience has been stimulated by what they've seen and heard so far, too: the discovery of Eric Owens as a great Alberich; Bryn Terfel's towering performance as Wotan; the triumphant role debut of Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund; the important Met debut of Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde; Stephanie Blythe's fierce and sensitive portrayal of Fricka; our impressive giants; and Rhinemaidens and Valkyries who appear to swim and fly.

Peter Gelb: The Ring Arrives Peter Gelb 2011

There was also an unexpected and, at first, unannounced substitution, mid-opera, for an indisposed Eva-Maria Westbroek, making her ill-fated Met debut as Sieglinde

Lee Rosenbaum: Fright Night at the Opera: Met's "Die Walküre" Enthralls, Despite Mishaps Lee Rosenbaum 2011

Almost all the performances are outstanding, especially those of Eva-Maria Westbroek in the title role, Gerald Finley as lawyer Howard K. Stern and Susan Bickley as her almost-moral mother, and Dominic Rowntree as her doomed teenage son whose sole aria consists entirely of prescription drug names.

A Good Time With Bad Girls 2011

And it's apparent that most of our audience has been stimulated by what they've seen and heard so far, too: the discovery of Eric Owens as a great Alberich; Bryn Terfel's towering performance as Wotan; the triumphant role debut of Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund; the important Met debut of Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde; Stephanie Blythe's fierce and sensitive portrayal of Fricka; our impressive giants; and Rhinemaidens and Valkyries who appear to swim and fly.

Peter Gelb: The Ring Arrives Peter Gelb 2011

And it's apparent that most of our audience has been stimulated by what they've seen and heard so far, too: the discovery of Eric Owens as a great Alberich; Bryn Terfel's towering performance as Wotan; the triumphant role debut of Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund; the important Met debut of Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde; Stephanie Blythe's fierce and sensitive portrayal of Fricka; our impressive giants; and Rhinemaidens and Valkyries who appear to swim and fly.

Peter Gelb: The Ring Arrives Peter Gelb 2011

There are outstanding performances by Lucio Gallo as both Schicchi and the husband of Il Tabarro; Eva-Maria Westbroek as the wife; and also by Aleksandrs Antonenko as her lover, Luigi.

Triple-Header Makes Excellent Opera Paul Levy 2011

And it's apparent that most of our audience has been stimulated by what they've seen and heard so far, too: the discovery of Eric Owens as a great Alberich; Bryn Terfel's towering performance as Wotan; the triumphant role debut of Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund; the important Met debut of Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde; Stephanie Blythe's fierce and sensitive portrayal of Fricka; our impressive giants; and Rhinemaidens and Valkyries who appear to swim and fly.

Peter Gelb: The Ring Arrives Peter Gelb 2011

There was also an unexpected and, at first, unannounced substitution, mid-opera, for an indisposed Eva-Maria Westbroek, making her ill-fated Met debut as Sieglinde

Lee Rosenbaum: Fright Night at the Opera: Met's "Die Walküre" Enthralls, Despite Mishaps Lee Rosenbaum 2011