Die Walkure in Popular Culture

Here is one more reason to see Die Walkure.

Charise and I were looking at a birthday card today, one that used the phrase, "It ain't over until the fat lady sings."

"Where does that phrase come from, anyway," said Charise.

I didn't know.

My internet search took me to a phrases bulletin board:

"The outcome of any contest isn't known until the final results are in. Thus, don't make premature judgments or give up too soon. Often associated with Wagnerian opera, specifically Brunhilde's 'Fire Song,' in 'Die Walkure,' and the fact that Wagner may seem interminable to nonaficionados. Thus one's impatience would be relieved when 'the fat lady sings.'"

As well Wiki tells us that Brunnehilde's "aria lasts almost twenty minutes and leads directly to the end of the opera, though the character Hagen has one final line, "Zurück vom Ring!", to sing after Brünnhilde's death, and there is also a substantial orchestral finale. As Götterdämmerung is about the end of the world (or at least the world of the Norse gods), in a very significant way "it is [all] over when the fat lady sings."

Who knew, Charise?  Especially given that we had just seen that opera!

Thanks for the question.

Arta