Wagner - Die Walküre - Act 1 Finale

The finale of Act 1 of Wagner's Die Walküre. Siegmund - Lauritz Melchior, Sieglinde - Astrid Varnay, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by Eric Leinsdorf, 1941.

[@spacepunk2001]

My mother and father were at this performance and they always said it was one of the most unforgettable events of their life. I'm not absolutely sure, but I think they said
it was a few days before Pearl Harbor...

[@wilhelmvongloeden]

The unique Astrid Varnay... so young and already so talented... and what a tenor Lauritz Melchior was...

[@operassassinOperaAssassin]

Such a mature and gorgeous reading by Varnay.

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Varnay substituted at the last minute. It was her debut, and it made her famous. Melchior and Traubel were in the same production. It was broadcast on the afternoon of Saturday, December 6, 1941. One day before Pearl Harbor.

[@Bivolari]

Pretty remarkable bit of singing by Varnay. This was her debut performance. She was notified only the day before. She had never sung in the opera house before. All this with no orchestral or stage rehearsal. Pretty good singing and lots of nerve for a 21 year old.

[@jmccracken1963]

@Barry Keating In fact, this Met broadcast is from Saturday, 6 December 1941 - the day before Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. Astrid Varnay substituted for Lotte Lehmann as Sieglinde at this performance. By the way, Helen Traubel had herself sung Sieglinde at the Met the two seasons previous (1939-1940 and 1940-1941), and her ascent to Brunnhilde was accelerated (and necessary) because of no Kirsten Flagstad (in Norway with her husband and children) and no Marjorie Lawrence (stricken with polio).

[@jeffreymiller4814]

As usual with many RUclips posts, it’s playing a half step too high. 😡. Varnay and Melchior did not sound like this.
That’s a truly lovely photo. Of HELEN TRAUBEL!

[@operassassinOperaAssassin]

Yes, it is. Singing these roles at such a young age is probably the reason you don't recognize her voice...didn't sound like this forever.

[@ukiop999]

@Bivolari 23, but still fabulous for her age!

[@OPEROMANO]

FANTÁSTICA VERSIÓN CON MUY BUEN SONIDO.

[@wotansings]

This is Varnay singing, no?

[@lundilar]

That is not Astrid Varnay!!

[@javichoau]

fast tempo