A Burst of Color in Spring

Kirill Serebrennikov: In »Das Rheingold« we found ourselves in a more or less colorless setting. It was winter. The only colors visible were those of ice or black sand. Now we’re moving into spring and into a world full of colors—the vibrant world of the South American carnival. This brings with it a veritable explosion of color. Furthermore, the element of fire plays a major role in the carnival, and fire is a central motif of the opera.

Unlike »Das Rheingold«, »Die Walküre« is essentially a chamber play. While there are the eight Valkyries, there are otherwise only six characters. At its core, it is a family saga: a story of father and daughter, sister and brother, wife and husband, which, in our interpretation, unfolds against the backdrop of Carnival.

Kirill Serebrennikov: That’s interesting: His early opera »Das Liebesverbot« (The Forbidden Love), based on Shakespeare’s »Measure for Measure«, is about Carnival. And Wagner died in Venice during Carnival, on February 13, 1883—which was Shrove Tuesday. Just a few days before his death, he had still been taking part in the carnival and is said to have remarked to the doorman upon his return to the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi that night: »Amico mio, il Carnevale è andato« (»My friend, the carnival is over«). So the last thing Wagner saw in his life was Carnival. It marks both the beginning and the end of his creative work.

One might get the impression that he viewed his life as a Carnival. Strange, brutal—but a Carnival nonetheless. I like this idea, because during Carnival, the differences between social classes and different ways of life are suspended.

Kirill Serebrennikov: People often pretend to be something they are not. In a sense, they wear masks. At times they hide something; at other times, they reveal something. Take Siegmund, for example, at the very beginning of the opera. Or Wotan, who appears to others in various guises.

Kirill Serebrennikov: Although Wotan still holds power as the supreme god, he suddenly becomes very sensitive and human. The final scene with Brünnhilde, in particular, is a masterpiece of psychological theater. Two people lost in time, lost in the fire of the universe. It is an opera in which something political suddenly becomes very human.

Kirill Serebrennikov: She is the daughter of a god, a warrior; she is a protector, a person who hesitates, a person who fights for values. She is actually a very modern woman who is very strong and, at the same time, full of love and compassion.

Kirill Serebrennikov: I definitely want to show the human side on stage. And that brings us back to Carnival, which is also something deeply human.

Kirill Serebrennikov: Here, too, I draw on elements from different cultures and blend them together to create something new. I want to tell the myth of a new humanity that emerges from the remnants of other civilizations. Here, the elements will be very colorful. In the case of »Die Walküre«, I’m particularly interested in cultures in which fire is important and plays a spiritual role—fire as a means of purification and cleansing.

Kirill Serebrennikov: We wanted to set the story of Siegmund and Sieglinde in a meadow with very tall grass. The only place we could find such a meadow was in Estonia. Actually, the grass had already been mowed by the time we were filming, but in this one field, the farmer left it standing especially for us so that we could film the very emotional love scenes of the Wälsung couple against a backdrop of these intense, rich green colors.

Kirill Serebrennikov: I treat this piece as if it had been composed just yesterday. The commercial and ideological use of this wonderful, extraordinary music plays no role for me. I let it resonate within me and follow my visions. And these are full of color. Here, too, many colorful costumes create a carnival-like atmosphere.

Kirill Serebrennikov: For me, it’s something very special to have Kirill Petrenko by my side as a co-creator of »Die Walküre« and the entire »Ring«. We’ve met many times, and he attends every rehearsal. He knows what I’m doing, and I’m more or less familiar with his musical approach.

What I like is that his Wagner is very lively. It’s definitely not the classic, heavy, somber tradition of Wagner interpretation. With him, it sparkles; it’s full of energy. He breathes new life into this magnificent music and conveys the sense that Wagner is a composer who is part of our world and our lives today.

Kiirll Serebrennikov: Working at the Felsenreitschule is generally a challenge because the stage is very unique: no side stages, enormous dimensions, and a very high orchestra pit. The stone walls and arcades make you feel as if you’re not in a theater at all.

The production was created specifically for this unique space. It is both a musical and a theatrical experience, fully in keeping with Wagner’s idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk.