The second part of Richard Wagner’s »Ring of the Nibelung« cycle, »Die Walküre« takes us from the world of the gods into the world of men. Wotan, the ruler of the gods, has fathered the Völsung twins, Siegmund and Sieglinde, in order that these heroes can win back the ring and secure his dominion over the Nibelung dwarf Alberich. But, having fallen in love with his sister, Siegmund frees Sieglinde from her forced marriage to Hunding and wins Wotan’s sword Nothung. Under the stern influence of his wife Fricka, the goddess of familial virtue, Wotan agrees to relinquish his protégé Siegmund. The Valkyrie Brünnhilde, Wotan’s favourite daughter, is so touched by the human love of the siblings that, ignoring divine instruction, she helps Siegmund and saves the pregnant Sieglinde. As punishment, Wotan imprisons Brünnhilde, asleep, within a circle of fire. In »Die Walküre«, Willy Decker continues his interpretation of the Ring cycle as (world) theatre within a theatre.