This is part of my series of opera cocktail pairings to share the experience of fantastic music enjoyed with a delicious cocktail. Read the premise of the project here!
Opera Selection
Aria: Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond
Opera: Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) by Richard Wagner WWV 86B
Before we get started: Richard Wagner wasn’t exactly a paragon of morality. He had quite the outsized personality and he wielded it to great advantage, sometimes to the grief of others. He racked up debts and ran from debtors. He was far from inclusive in his perspectives on race, to put it mildly. That said, Wagner’s influence on western classical music was indelible.
I have selected a work by Wagner because it is breathtakingly beautiful.
In this selection from Die Walküre, the second opera in Der Ring des Nibelungen aka “The Ring Cycle” (yes, that ring, the one to rule them all) Wagner gives us sweeping breadth and depth embodying all the hope and ardor that a man could have for a future with the one he knows he belongs with. It is through the sheer beauty and passion that reverberates through every note of this aria that inspired me to pair with it a libation that I hope will be worthy.
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Winterstürme Cocktail
2.5 oz London Dry Gin (e.g. Bombay Sapphire)
½ oz Crème de Violette (alternative: elderflower liqueur, such as Saint-Germain)
¼ oz Dry Vermouth (e.g. Dolin Blanc)
Mint sprig for garnish
Pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake up the winter storm! What comes out will be more smooth.
Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora or coupe. A chilled martini glass will also do nicely. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig; a lemon twist makes a lovely alternative.
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A few thoughts about Winterstürme and the Winterstürme cocktail
“United are Love and Spring” (“vereint sind Liebe und Lenz”) is the central proclamation of this aria, as two people who have suffered greatly finally find kindred spirits in each other and look to the future. The two people in question, Siegmund and Sieglinde, turn out to be long-lost siblings. What can I say; this is from a folkloric saga. More fuel for shocking opera drama!
In this cocktail I looked for ways to embody the bracing cold of winter that had defined the lives of Siegmund and Sieglinde up until their reunion, and yet bring forth the promise of spring and hope with a touch of warmth and floral notes.
The music is radiantly ardent and Siegmund’s sincerity is absolute. I wanted to pair a cocktail that has structural heft yet colorful high tones, to speak to the passionate yearning for the promise of a life yet to be lived.
Cocktail in hand? Have a listen!
Wagner’s tenor roles are notoriously difficult. They require a ‘Heldentenor’, an artist with a range somewhere between a tenor and a baritone. The voice needs to be beautifully rich yet with a dark edge, with tremendous power and depth.
I’ve selected videos of some of my favorite artists singing this aria. Enjoy!
Jonas Kaufmann - Münchner Rundfunkorchester - Herr Kaufmann is my unabashedly favorite Siegmund. His voice has a unique rich, darker quality that lends a raw edge of vulnerability that is, to me, perfect. He is one of the most baritone of tenors, in terms of voice timbre. The audio recording from “The Best of Jonas Kaufmann” (Decca) with Claudio Abbado and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is stellar.
Peter Hofmann - Bayreuther Festspiele - This is from the staged production at the Bayreuth Festival (*the* Wagner festival) in 1976, directed by Pierre Boulez. Herr Hofmann delivers a wonderfully passionate and youthful Siegmund, with a melty butterscotch middle register that makes me come back to his singing time and time again. (Winterstürme is the first three minutes of the video, but keep watching for Jeannine Altmeyer's wonderful Sieglinde.)
Peter Seiffert - Orchester Der Deutschen Oper Berlin - Herr Seiffert offers power and tenderness with bright overtones and slightly different phrasing, making for a forthright and sensitive performance.
For another side of the Heldentenor’s capabilities, take the more dramatic and ‘angsty’ monologues, such as Die Walküre’s “Ein Schwert verhieß mir der Vater” (or, as I like to affectionately call it, “Dad! Where’s my sword?”).
The voice spans anger, fervent longing, suspicion, and dark, wary acceptance. You also can’t miss the lung-exploding power of Siegmund’s frustrated cries of “Wäl——————se!!!” It’s mind blowing.
As for great Wagnerian tenors, there are more incredible artists past and present out there; by all means search for them. *Hint: Start with this Heldentenor sing-off, featuring "Wälse" clips of 13 tenors!