gay vikings- could it be true...

[Sophia]

  

new studies shown that being gay aint just something new in our time, even the vikings celebrated being gay. People who have studied viking graves and found gay burials. People with same sex holding hands. And in other burials women have been decorating in mens cloths and men decorating in womens cloths. There are even vikings stories that have been written down who talks about samesex relationsship.

Hearing this made me so happy that I felt I need to start a thread on this subject.

[milomorris]

Of course there could have been homosexuals among Viking men. The likelihood is that there certainly were.

But let's keep in mind that these 2-man graves could have been brothers, sworn-brothers, or blood-brothers. It was not un-common for Norsemen to form such platonic bonds.

[Sophia]

Of course there could have been homosexuals among Viking men. The likelihood is that there certainly were.

But let's keep in mind that these 2-man graves could have been brothers, sworn-brothers, or blood-brothers. It was not un-common for Norsemen to form such platonic bonds.

well in these graves, they were not siblings or relatives.

[milomorris]

well in these graves, they were not siblings or relatives.

Ah. So they could be lovers, or sworn/blood-brothers then. One of the most famous of the Norse Sagas is the Volsunga Saga. It is the story Wagner used to write the Ring Cycle. In Die Gotterdammerung (one of the operas in the Cycle), there is a blood-ritual between Siegried and Gunther. They swear their friendship and loyalty to each other. Its a great moment with some great music.

This is a fascinating find!!

[Sophia]

Ah. So they could be lovers, or sworn/blood-brothers then. One of the most famous of the Norse Sagas is the Volsunga Saga. It is the story Wagner used to write the Ring Cycle. In Die Gotterdammerung (one of the operas in the Cycle), there is a blood-ritual between Siegried and Gunther. They swear their friendship and loyalty to each other. Its a great moment with some great music.

This is a fascinating find!!

is this an opera you have played in?

[milomorris]

is this an opera you have played in?

Not yet. Wagner is only done by the largest opera houses here in the US.

[Mikaela]

I'm curious about this. Where have these finds been made? During which time of the viking period were they buried? Could you link us to any articles or archeological websites about it?

I must admit that I am surprised, given the Norse laws' and Norse literary sources' seemingly firm bias against homosexuality (and against men wearing women's clothes and vice versa). My first guess would have been that these persons in the graves were siblings or "blood-brothers", but if DNA has confirmed they were not related, there certainly is room for new interpretations of the Vikings!

[Sophia]

Not yet. Wagner is only done by the largest opera houses here in the US.

for the future then...

Just curious, what other operas are common on smaller stages?

[Sophia]

I'm curious about this. Where have these finds been made? During which time of the viking period were they buried? Could you link us to any articles or archeological websites about it?

I must admit that I am surprised, given the Norse laws' and Norse literary sources' seemingly firm bias against homosexuality (and against men wearing women's clothes and vice versa). My first guess would have been that these persons in the graves were siblings or "blood-brothers", but if DNA has confirmed they were not related, there certainly is room for new interpretations of the Vikings!

i read about this on the swedish daily newspapers webpage. www.svd.se  Unfortantly I haven´t been able to find it again, sence the news have been archived. and I haven´t figure out how to search the archive the best way. (the swedish webpages, have strange search functions, it either gives you 10000 of hits in different directions or 0 hits.)

[milomorris]

Just curious, what other operas are common on smaller stages?

http://www.operaamerica.org/content/research/quick.aspx

The most frequently produced operas in the 2007-2008 season were:

La bohème
Tosca
La traviata
The Marriage of Figaro
Carmen
Don Giovanni
The Elixir of Love
The Magic Flute
Aida
Madama Butterfly
Turandot

I have performed roles in all of these, except Madama Butterfly, and Turandot