Waltraute

One of the nine Valkyries. Daughter of Wotan and sister to Brunnhilde. She first appears in Act 3 of Die Walkure. Like the other Valkyries, she refuses to help Brunnhilde and her half-sister Sieglinde escape for fear of Wotan. She and the other Valkyries beg Wotan not to punish Brunnhilde, but he threatens her punishment to any Valkyrie who remains with her, causing them to leave.

In Act 1 of Gotterdammerung Waltraute again appears. She tells Brunnhilde that after her banishment Wotan no longer sent the Valkyries out. She also tells her sister Wotan's spear has been broken and that he has had the world ash tree chopped down and made into kindling round Valhalla. He and all the others of Valhalla are sitting there, awaiting the end. From him Waltraute heard that if the ring was returned to the Rhinemaidens the curse would be broken, thus she has come to tell Brunnhilde to do this. However Brunnhilde refuses as the ring is a symbol of her love with Siegfried. Waltraute leaves in despair. In the final act of Gotterdammerung Valhalla is set alight, destroying all those within.