Richard Wagner composed The Ring Cycle (Der Ring des Nibelungen) between 1848 and 1874. It comprises four works, The Rhinegold (Das Rheingold), The Valkyrie (Die Walküre), Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung). It is known beyond the world of opera not only because of the combined length of the four parts (fourteen hours if the conductor is not hanging about, otherwise 15 or more) and because its evocation of the Valkyries’ flight underscored the helicopter assault in Francis Ford Coppola’s war film, Apocalypse Now. The scale of Wagner’s work was made by possible by the patronage of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, which extended to the construction of a purpose-built theatre, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. This venue continues to stage this and other works by the composer and includes innovations such as a double proscenium, increasing the perceived distance to the performers, as well as introducing the recessed orchestra pit, which rendered players and conductor invisible from the auditorium. The four parts weave a narrative from Germanic and Norse mythology that is centered on the ring of the title. The following is a truncated account of the tale.
DAS RHEINGOLD
The dwarf (niebelung) Alberich renounces love so that he can steal the gold protected by the Rhinemaidens. With this he is able to forge a ring that will grant the wearer absolute power. Meanwhile, in Valhalla, the domain of the Gods, the leader Wotan is about to take possession of a magnificent new castle, constructed for him by the giants, Fasolt and Fafner. Lacking the ability to pay for this edifice, it is agreed that he will recover the gold stolen by Alberich, using some part of it to pay the giants and then return the remainder to the Rhinemaidens. Disguised, he visits the underground foundry where Alberich’s brother, Mime, has forged the ring and, when Alberich makes an appearance, he is able to secure the ring by means of trickery. Alberich, understandably annoyed, places a terrible curse upon the ring that not only condemns the owner to be seized with a jealouus possessiveness but instills in others a powerful envy of the ring bearer. The power of the curse is immediately apparent as the two giants all but forget the gold they were due and argue over the ring, ending with Fafner killing his brother, Fasolt. The curtain closes with Wotan leading his wife, Fricka, over a rainbow bridge towards their new castle, though from below the Rhinemaidens can be heard warning of the troubles that lie ahead.
DIE WALKÜRE
The piece commences with a storm, which compels a wandering Siegmund to seek shelter in the house where Hunding lives with his wife, Sieglinde. They do not spend a happy night together for a number of reasons: Siegmund and Sieglinde develop a powerful and immediate connection with one another, not realising that they are in fact twins sired by Wotan. Further, it transpires that Siegmund had murdered Hunding’s kinsfolk in protecting a vulnerable woman and, foreseeing that things bwtween the two men will not end well, Sieglinde drugs Hunding both so that she can spend the night with Siegmund and to save him from Hunding’s wrath. The Gods, aware of the mortal realm, form conflicting opinions regarding the fate of Siegmund. Wotan seeks to protect Siegmund from the murderous intent of Hunding yet Fricka. as the Goddess of Marriage, cannot countence incest going unpunished and thus insists that Siegmund must die. Wotan, persuaded by his wife, instructs his daughter Brunnhilde, the leader of the Valkyries, to protect Hunding and punish Siegmund. Brunnhilde reluctantly agrees to this course of action but, on confronting Siegmund, is won over by the depth of his feelings for Sieglinde and endeavours to protect him. The ensuing fight sees Siegmund gaining the upper hand over Hunding, prompting Wotan to appear to ensure Hunding is saved. Wotan’s spear shatters Siegmund’s sword and in the confusion Hunding kills Siegmund which, in turn, provokes a shocked Wotan to kill Hunding. Brunnhilde is able to slip away with Sieglinde, flying to the Valkyries’ rock where she instructs her to disappear from view. Her fellow Valkyries are distant with Brunnhilde as her actions have defied Wotan’s commandments. His displeasure is evident when he arrives at the rock, insisting that Brunnhilde be punished for her disobedience. At first it is intended that she be left, in a state of sleep, upon a mountaintop, prey to the first person to come along who wishes to take advantage of her vulnerability, though after some persuasion from Brunnhilde it is determiend that she will be imprisoned by a ring of fire upon the mountaintop, something impervious to all but those who do not fear Wotan’s spear.
SIEGFRIED
The third work occurs some twenty years after the conclusion of the second, opening in a foundry where Alberich’s brother, Mime, is attempting to fashion a sword that will kill Fafner and thereby gain control of the ring. His many attempts are repeatedly destroyed by the young man he has taken under his wing, Siegfried, whose prodigious strength is required to wield a weapon capable of killing Fafner, who, in the intervening years has turned himself into a dragon. Siegfried demands that Mime tell him of his real parents and it is revealed that Mime took in an injured Sieglinde many years ago and, though she did not survive, he cared for the child she was carrying, a consequence of her one stormy night with Siegmund. Additionally, Mime also took possession of the fragments of Siegmund’s sword, named Nothung. Wotan, in disguise, appears and undertakes a wager with Mime which culminates in him learning that these fragments can only be reforged by one who knows no fear. Realising that this is Siegfried, Mime encourages the young man to forge the mighty weapon and, thus armed, they depart for Fafner’s cave. At that same moment, Mime’s bother, Alberich, awaits outside the cave to recover the ring for himself and he also is visted by a disguised Wotan who manages to both alert Fafner to his impending assualt and inform Alberich that his brother is approaching with his own intentions to possess the ring. When he arrives, the brothers agree to a temporary truce in order to secure the ring and Siegried duly dispatches the beast. He inadvertantly tastes the blood of the dragon which grants him the ability to comprehend the song of a woodbird which warns him of the impending trickery of Mime and Alberich. Siegfried kills Mime and takes the ring, as Alberich disappears into the shadows. Siegfried’s new avian friend convinces him to journey to the mountaintop to encounter the woman of his dreams and, as they approach, Wotan once more appears, blocking the path with his spear. Siegfried shatters the spear and proceeds to the summit where he meets Brunnhilde. There is a powerful and immediate attraction between the two yet Brunnhilde realises that to consummate their relationship she will have to give up her immortality and live (and die) as a human.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
The prologue concerns the three Norns, past, present and future, who weave the Rope of Destiny. They forsee the chain of events originating from Alberich’s curse leading to the end of the gods and Valhalla consumed by fire. After this ominous beginning we return to Siegfried and Brunnhilde, radiant in their love, with Siegfried entrusting the ring to Brunnhilde’s safekeeping and venturing forth to undertake deeds in her honour. The action then switches to the Hall of the Gibichungs where their leader, Gunther, and his sister, Gutrune, hold court. They are councilled by their chief minister Hagen, who we learn is the son of Alberich. Hagen persuades the siblings that they should each find partners and proposes Siegfried and Brunnhilde as suitable. At this moment Siegfried enters and by means of a potion administered by Hagen, entirely forgets Brunnhilde and declares undying love for Gutrune. Such is tthe potency of the drug that he also resolves to go to the mountaintop, disguised as Gunther, and win over Brunnhilde on his behalf. This transpires and precipitates a rather sudden double wedding, at which point Brunnhilde encounters the undisguised Siegfried and is appalled at his treachery, so much so that she conspirtes with Hagen and Gunther to kill him. Before this can happen, the couples are wed and a while later, whilst out on a family hunting trip, Siegfried finds himself in the presence of the Rhinemaidens who urge him to return the ring and the gold to their keeping. He refuses and, on retunring to the hunting party is administered a potion that restores his memory. In this state he acquieses to Gunther and Hagen’s demand that he speak of his past life. When he reaches the point where it is apparent that he has been intimate with Brunnhilde, Gunther becomes enraged and Hagen kills Siegfried. Returning to Gutrune with her husband’s corpse, Gunther breaks down and confesses that, rather than a hunting accident, Siegfried lost his life at Hagen’s hand. Hagen, unconcerned with the revelation, moves to wrest the ring from the dead Siegfried. Miraculously, his dead hand rises to ward off Hagen, at which point Brunnhilde appears. She now realises that Siegfried did not betray her but rather was under the influence of potions, even if his death was a necessary step toward her own self-realisation. She takes the ring froom Siegfried and orders a huge funeral pyre be built to send him on his way. As the fire starts she communicates with Wotan explaining that by his death Siegfried has revoked the curse upon the ring. She bequeaths this to the Rhinemaidens and, as she walks solemnly toward the burning pyre, she commands that Valhalla also be set aflame and both Valhalla and heroine are consumed. There is an ensuing sequence of events – the Rhine overflows, the Rhinemaidens retrieve the ring and drown Hagen for his sins. In the midst of the destruction is heard the final leitmotif that signifies redemption through love.