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Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold) is the tantalizing introduction to Richard
Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung),
known as The Ring Cycle. Written in German, The Ring of the Nibelung
is actually four operas or music-dramas (as Wagner preferred to call
them), which include: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried,
and Götterdämmerung.
Das Rheingold, meaning “the gold of the Rhine River,”
is the story of the clash between gods, giants, and dwarves over
a powerful and magical golden treasure. In Die Walküre (in
English, “The Valkyrie”), we meet the Valkyries, nine
warrior daughters of the gods Wotan and Erda who roam the world
on their flying horses, carrying out their father’s wishes.
This second opera tells the story of the most famous Valkyrie, Brunnhilde,
who, despite being Wotan’s favorite, was punished for her
disobedience and condemned to sleep until a fearless hero awakens
and saves her. Siegfried, the third opera, is the tale of a young
and valiant hero who discovers the mysteries of a magical sword,
the golden ring, and a woman’s love. Götterdämmerung,
meaning “Twilight of the Gods,” is the suspenseful and
dramatic conclusion to the cycle.
Inspired by Scandinavian and German myths, Richard Wagner created
the libretto (words) for his own mythic and epic story. He started
writing the words in 1848 and had wrapped up the words and music
for the four operas in 1869, when Das Rheingold was first performed
in Munich, Germany. Seven years later, in 1876, the whole Ring Cycle
was performed in its entirety in an opera house that Wagner designed
himself on a green hill in Bayreuth, Germany. (This was a special
opera house, different from most opera houses at that time: first,
it was made of brick and wood and was very simple in design, just
like an ancient Greek theater; second, there were no aisles so everybody
entered and exited through side doors; and third, the orchestra
players were hidden from the audience in a sunken pit. Wagner felt
all these things would give the best sound and listening experience.)
Since then, Der Ring des Nibelungen has been performed in opera
houses around the world, sometimes as single operas, sometimes as
the entire Ring Cycle.
The shortest of all the operas in the Ring Cycle, the libretto
of Das Rheingold, like fairytales and myth, is entertaining, magical,
filled with battles, bargains, and sorcery. With Wagner’s
music, the stage is transformed, appearing to spring from the pages
of an enchanting storybook.
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