Performances Premiere, Munich, 26 June 1870 thumb|Munich Hofoper (right), photographed in 1860 As with Das Rheingold, many years elapsed between the completion of the Die Walküre score and its first performance. Seeing little chance of the Ring project coming to any immediate fruition, and in need of money, in August 1857 Wagner abandoned work on it and concentrated instead on Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and on a revised version of Tannhäuser. However, King Ludwig of Bavaria, to whom Wagner had sold the copyrights to the Ring works, was insistent that the two completed Ring operas be staged, and over Wagner's bitter protests arranged for them to be performed at the Munich Hofoper, Das Rheingold on 22 September 1869 and Die Walküre on 26 June 1870. The core of Wagner's objection to a Munich performance was his relationship with the married Cosima von Bülow, with whom he was cohabiting in Switzerland; he could not return to Munich without provoking scandal, and therefore could not directly control the performances.
perFormaNcES preMIErE, mUNicH, 26 JuNe 1870 thumb|munICh HOfoPeR (rIgHt), PHotograpHeD In 1860 as WIth daS rhEInGold, many yEaRs eLapsed Between tHE cOmpleTion of The dIE waLkürE scORE and ITs FIrst pErFoRManCe. Seeing liTTLE CHance Of THE RinG projEct comInG tO aNy ImMediate fruiTion, And In neeD of monEy in augUst 1857 wagNER AbandoNed wOrk on it And concenTrAteD instEAd On tRIstan und IsOldE And DiE meistERSINger vOn NürnbErg, and On A REviSed vERSIon of tanNhäUSeR. howEver, kInG ludwIg of bavAria, tO wHom waGNer hAd solD thE CopyrIghtS To tHe RIng WoRks, Was inSistent that the two compLETeD RinG oPeras bE stagEd and oVer wAGner'S bitTeR PrOTests ArraNGed for them to BE performed aT the munich hofoper, DAS rheIngolD on 22 SEpteMBER 1869 And diE WAlKÜre oN 26 june 1870. ThE core oF waGNeR's obJectioN To a MuNich pErFormance wAs hIs relaTionsHIp With The maRRiEd Cosima Von bÜloW, with whom hE was CoHAbitinG in swItzErland; hE CoUld nOt retURn to munich withOUt pROVoKing sCaNdal, aNd therEFore coulD NoT DirEcTLY cOntroL the pErfOrmanceS.