Characters in order of appearance
The Norms – These are daughters of Erda, the Earth goddess and the goddess of wisdom, and are the weavers of the strands of fate.
Brünnhilde – She is the daughter of Wotan and Erda. She is her father’s favorite offspring and was the leader of the Valkyries who gather fallen heroes from battlefields and spirit them to Valhalla, the castle of the gods. However, she disobeyed her Father Wotan and was stripped of her immortality and place on a mountaintop surrounded by fire. Only the bravest of men can survive the flames to rescue her and claim her as his wife.
Siegfried – He is the hero long awaited for by Wotan, Mime, and Alberich They all want him to slay Fafner the Giant who turned himself into a dragon using the magic Tarnhelm. They want to claim the treasure of the magical Ring and Tarnhelm and the hoard of gold all guarded by the dragon.
Gunther – He is the head of a race called the “Gibichungs.”
Hagen – He is the half-brother of Gunther and Gutrune. He was fathered by Alberich who used his wealth to secure a willing woman to parent Hagen with him.
Gutrune – The sister of Gunther and the half-sister of Hagen.
Waltraute – A Valkyrie who visits Brünnhilde to urge her to return the ring to the Rhinemaidens.
Alberich – Formerly was the ruler of the Nibelung race. Now, he stands watch over Fafner’s lair in anticipation of one day claiming the magical Ring which he had fashioned and the Tarnhelm which his brother Mime had fashioned under his guidance. 
Fafner – One of the two Giants who built Valhalla and were rewarded with the magical Ring and Tarnhelm and the Nibelung gold which were stolen by Wotan. He killed his brother Fasolt over the treasure and has turned himself into a fierce dragon to guard it.
3 Rhinemaidens – Woglinde, Wellgunde, Flosshilde.
Workers, officers, guards, huntsmen

Previously

In the First of the four operas that comprise Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” “Das Rheingold” (The Rhinegold), Alberich, a leader of a race of dwarfs called “Nibelungs” who live underground, renounced love and stole valuable gold from the Rhinemaidens who live in the Rhine River. With this gold, he hammered-out an all-powerful Ring that can empower its wearer to rule the world and his brother Mime fashioned a magic Tarnhelm which can turn its wearer into any form or transport him across a distance instantly.

Wotan had had two Giants build the gods a magnificent castle, promising them his sister-in-law Freia as payment. When the castle, named Valhalla, was finished, the Giants demanded payment. Of course Wotan and his wife Fricka, the sister of Freia, objected. With the help of a demi-god Loge, Wotan convinced the Giants to take the gold confiscated by Alberich as payment. Wotan and Loge trick Alberich into giving up the Ring, the Tarnhelm and the rest of the gold. But, Alberich utters a curse against the gold and the Ring in particular that whoever shall possess it shall die.

The Giants are paid, but Fafner kills Fasolt over the gold. Wotan ignores the pleas of the Rhinemaidens to return the gold to them and he and the other gods ascend to Valhalla. Loge refuses to go, predicting doom for the gods. 

In the Second opera of the Cycle, “Die Walküre” (The Valkyrie), Wotan has fathered two twins Siegmund and Sieglinde by a mortal. They were separated in early childhood as their mother was killed by thieves in a raid on their home while Wotan and Siegmund were hunting. The opera opens with Siegmund entering a cottage in the forest, exhausted from fleeing a band of men seeking revenge on him. He had valiantly tried to save a woman from a forced marriage and had killed her brothers in the process. The cottage he happens on (unknown to him) is the home of his sister Sieglinde (although he does not immediately recognize her) and Hunding, the husband she was forced to marry. Hunding discovers that Siegmund is the warrior who interrupted the wedding of his tribesman and killed several of them. He vows to do battle to the death with Siegmund in the morning. Siegmund finds a sword stuck in a tree and is able to extract it. It had been placed there by his father Wotan. The twins are strongly attracted to one another and make love while Hunding is asleep, having been drugged by Sieglinde.

Wotan, of course, wants his son Siegmund to win the battle with Hunding; so, he calls his favorite daughter Brünnhilde to his side and instructs her to intervene in the battle on the side of Siegmund. She gladly accepts the mission to aid her half-brother. However, Fricka, the wife of Wotan, is appalled at the news that the twins are now lovers. She is the goddess of marriage after all; so, she intimidates her husband into reversing his orders to Brünnhilde and Wotan tells her that Siegmund must die. She strongly resists but finally agrees to follow her father’s orders. 

Brünnhilde is a Valkyrie – a woman who soars through the air on a horse to gather up fallen heroes from the battlefields of the world and whisk them to Valhalla to protect the gods in their castle. Brünnhilde initially gives Siegmund the bad news, but relents when she is deeply moved by the intense love she sees between him and Sieglinde. She disobeys her father and attempts to intervene for Siegmund in the fight. But her efforts are thwarted by her father who suddenly appears at the scene and who breaks Nothung with his spear. Siegmund perishes but Wotan also destroys Hunding. Brünnhilde flees with Sieglinde who is pregnant with the son of Siegmund. Sieglinde wishes death but is renewed by the news of her pregnancy and flees to a remote area of the forest. Brünnhilde is punished for her disobedience to her father. Wotan says a tearful “goodbye” to her and places his favorite daughter asleep on a mountaintop to be claimed by the first man who comes along. At her request, he surrounds her with fire so that only the bravest of men can reach her.

In the Third opera of the Cycle, Siegfried has been raised by the Nibelung Mime – his mother Sieglinde having died in childbirth. Mime also has the pieces of the magical sword Nothung. Siegfried has developed a hatred of Mime since Mime has not told him who his mother and father are. Mime finally reveals this information to the eager young man. Siegfried demands that Mime fashion a sword for him that is strong enough to withstand his mighty blows. Mime fails in this task. 

Mime is visited by a stranger, The Wanderer, who is Wotan in disguise. They engage in a contest of wits which Mime loses. The Wanderer (Wotan) informs him that the dragon Fafner will be slain by one who knows no fear.

Siegfried returns and demands a strong sword. Mime produces the fragments of Nothung but confesses that he does not have the skill necessary to repair it. Siegfried takes matters into his own hands, files the pieces into filings and re-forges the weapon. He then demands that Mime teach him fear. Mime is unable to do so and declares that the dragon will have to educate Siegfried in that regard.

Alberich has been hanging out near the cave of the dragon, hoping for an opportunity to seize the treasures. The Wonderer wanders in and tells Alberich that one who does not know fear is coming to slay the dragon and claim the gold. He flippantly suggests that Alberich waken the dragon and warn him, knowing that Siegfried will claim the treasure after slaying the beast. Perhaps the dragon will give up the treasures voluntarily in order to save his life. Nothing doing. The dragon is awakened but is not moved by the threat and simply goes back to sleep.

Siegfried enters with Mime who is plotting the young man’s death after he slays the dragon by use of a poisonous drink in order to claim the treasures for himself. Siegfried communes with nature in the form of a bird whose song he unsuccessfully tries to mimic with a reed. Finally, he pulls out his horn which he plays quite nicely. The bird is unmoved but the dragon is moved. He awakens and Siegfried does battle and slays him. In the process, he touches a drop of the dragon’s blood to his lips and suddenly is able to understand the bird’s song. The bird urges him to take the Ring and the Tarnhelm, warns him of Mime’s treachery, and then entices him with a tale of a maiden asleep on a mountaintop and surrounded by flames. Siegfried thwarts Mime’s treachery by killing him and then follows the lead of the bird to seek the maiden.

Wotan is there near the mountaintop where he had entranced Brünnhilde into her long, lonely sleep. He consults Erda (a/k/a Wala) – the goddess of the earth and wisdom – seeking a way to thwart the wheel of fate turning toward the destruction of the gods. She has been sleeping in wisdom and is shocked at the state of current affairs. She is unable to offer any remedy, chastises Wotan for the mess he has created and drifts back to sleep.

Siegfried makes a blustery entrance, breaks Wotan’s spear with Nothung (thus completely destroying his authority as the king of the gods), and approaches the maiden whom he thinks is a man due to the armor that encases the slumbering body. As he removes the armor from the chest of the person, he proclaims, “This is not a man!” He does not know what to do – how to cope with the situation. He then knows fear.

The two immediately fall in love, but Brünnhilde is reluctant to give in to his desires for physical love. She still entertains a dream of returning to Valhalla and feels that she must remain a virgin in order to do so. But Siegfried is both charming and persistent and the opera ends with the two enwrapped in unbridled ecstasy.

Read the complete reviews in the September, October, and November, 2011 Houston Banner or find them at www.newsnet713.com/BobConnor.htm

Prologue

The three Norms, daughters of Erda are weaving the ropes of destiny. One mentions Alberich and the theft of the Rhinegold. The rope breaks. Their wisdom is at an end and the gods are doomed. They panic and flee. 

After their night of bliss, Brünnhilde sends Siegfried into the world to do brave deeds. The music known as “Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey” is majestically presented by the orchestra. It is both gorgeous and inspiring. It makes you feel like rising from your seat and leaping forth like Don Quixote to perform wondrous deeds. Siegfried gives the Ring to Brünnhilde as a token of his love for her.

Act I

Alberich has been busy siring a son with a Gibichung woman whom he enticed with money. His name is Hagen and he is the ultimate villain in the Ring Cycle. Hagen has decided that his half-brother Gunther and his half-sister Gutrune should marry, and he has selected the perfect mates for them. He will see to it that Gutrune marries Siegfried and that Gunther marries Brünnhilde. How does he seduce the love-struck Siegfried to abandon Brünnhilde and marry Gutrune? Well, he accomplishes this seemingly impossible feat with a “magic potion,” of course. It will erase the memory of Brünnhilde from Siegfried’s mind and he will fall for the first woman he sees. He will also secure Brünnhilde for Gunther.

Siegfried arrives at the Gibichung dwelling where he is offered a drink by Hagen to quench his thirst acquired from the long journey. This, of course is the magic potion and he falls for Gutrune at first sight. She is, after all, the first woman he has seen who is not his aunt (Brünnhilde being the daughter of Wotan and Siegfried being the grandson of Wotan makes Brünnhilde Siegfried’s aunt). His memory of the maiden on the mountaintop has been washed away by the spell of the magic potion.

Hagen then proceeds to convince Siegfried to win the affection of the maid of the mountaintop for his half-brother Gunther who does not have the courage to pierce the flames surrounding Brünnhilde. Siegfried eagerly agrees, dons the Tarnhelm to assume the appearance of Gunther, and sets off to win the former Valkyrie for this Gibichung.

Meanwhile, back at the mountaintop, Brünnhilde is visited by Waltraute, her Valkyrie sister who begs her to return the Rhinegold to the Rhinemaidens, otherwise the gods will perish. But, Brünnhilde has disdain for the gods and Valhalla and refuses to give up the token her union with Siegfried. Waltraute departs in despair.

Siegfried – appearing as Gunther – arrives at the mountaintop, wrests the Ring from the finger of the horrified Brünnhilde and takes her by force to the hall of the Gibichungs.

Act II

Hagen is visited by his father Alberich who desperately urges him to do whatever is necessary to reclaim the Ring. Hagen agrees.

Siegfried returns from his mission still disguised as Gunther and presents Brünnhilde to her future husband Gunther. Siegfried removes the Tarnhelm thus resuming his true appearance and takes Gutrune into his arms. We then have a double wedding. Brünnhilde is aghast. She declares that Siegfried is her true husband, but Siegfried, still under the spell of the potion, denies this. 

Not knowing of the effects of the potion, Brünnhilde’s mood turns to outrage and she is bent on revenge. She reveals to Hagen Siegfried’s one vulnerable spot – his back. Brünnhilde has used the power of the Ring to protect his body from harm. However, knowing that he would never turn his back in battle, she had not bothered to protect this part of his anatomy. Big mistake!

Hagen knows that to gain control of the Ring and the Tarnhelm (but particularly the Ring) he must do away with Siegfried. So, he welcomes Brünnhilde’s little secret. Taunted by Brünnhilde and seduced by the power of the Ring, even Gunther joins in the plot.

Act III

Siegfried is taking a stroll by the Rhine River in preparation to going hunting with Hagen and his men when the Rhinemaidens, singing their sad song, appear. They implore him to return the Ring to them, but he refuses. 

The hunting party arrives and Siegfried begins to reminisce about being reared by Mime and the slaying of the dragon Fafner. Hagen arrives and gives him a potion which restores his memory of Brünnhilde. He proclaims his undying love for her. Hagen faking outrage at Siegfried’s “betrayal” of his half-sister Gutrune, stabs Siefgried in the back, killing him. A deeply melancholy funeral dirge emerges from the orchestra as Siegfried’s body is carried off. The dirge concludes on a triumphant theme echoing the motif of Nothung. This is music for the death of a hero.

Back at the hall of the Gibichungs, Gutrune anxiously awaits the return of Siegfried. Hagen tells her that he was killed by a wild boar, but she does not believe him and accuses Gunther. Hagen finally confesses the truth, but kills his half-brother Gunther while arguing over possession the Ring - as Fafner had killed Fasolt over the same prize (history repeats itself and the curse that Alberich put on the Ring in Das Rheingold is still potent). As typical of a tragic drama, bodies are beginning to fill the stage. Hagen tries to wrest the Ring from the finger of Siegfried, but the dead hero’s arm suddenly thrusts upward in defiance. Hagen is shocked and does not dare to now touch this powerful but cursed piece of jewelry.

Brünnhilde, now realizing the treachery of Hagen and the true fidelity of Siegfried, insists that a funeral pyre be built to honor him. Her wish is granted and Siegfried’s body is placed on it to be gloriously cremated. 

Now comes the magnificent conclusion to the Ring Cycle – the Immolation Scene. Brünnhilde, the ultimate heroine, singing of the virtues of Siegfried and her love for him, rides her horse Grane into the flames to join her beloved Siegfried in death thus sacrificing herself and breaking the curse of the Ring by her display of ultimate love. The “Redemption Motif” heard only once before in the Ring Cycle – at the announcement by Brünnhilde of Sieglinde’s bearing of Siegfried in her womb – is now heard to underscore the redemptive quality of Brünnhilde’s sacrifice. 

The River Rhine rises above its banks claiming the Ring and the other treasures. The Rhinemaidens are rejoicing. It also claims Hagen and everyone rejoices. Valhalla is in flames in the distance. The era of the gods is over. The world now belongs to mortal humans. The music and drama literally envelope the whole opera house during this absolutely majestic scene. You slowly depart the opera house regretting – even after 15-16 hours of opera – that it is now over. But you feel fulfilled – the drama has given you closure. All is now well with the world.

The San Francisco Production

This production was entirely a San Francisco creation. As the overture was played, images of a web of electrical power lines and loads of felled trees being hauled off to a sawmill are projected. The norms are dressed like blobs of electrical impulses and the background is a moving array of computer circuit boards. The immolation scene is spectacular as real fire is used and a huge shiny, golden fabric is rushed out to cover almost the entire stage, depicting the return of the Rhinegold to its rightful place in the River Rhine.

The most interesting singer in this production to us Texans is Jay Hunter Morris who sings Siegfried, a role that is almost impossible to sing in one performance. The singer is on stage and singing for about 5 hours. He must sing in a bellowing voice in order to be heard since his voice – in keeping with tradition - is not amplified. Only a handful of tenors in the world can sing this role. But, if you are not able to find a tenor to at least “get through it”, you cannot produce a Ring Cycle. Where did they find this guy? Well, this wunderkind singer is not from Germany, Italy, or Paris, France … he is from Paris, Texas! And, yes, during interviews, his normal speaking voice bears a strong East Texas accent, but he sings in German! Also interesting is Gutrune’s fire engine red, tight-fitting dress and bouffant blonde hair style which was patterned after Anna Nicole Smith’s (now deceased) sexy style. She was the former stripper and widow of the multi-millionaire J. Howard Marshall – 62 years her senior (also, now deceased). “Fascinating,” as Mr. Spock would say.

Don’t miss the concluding segment of this series on Wagner’s Ring Cycle. The Epilogue is coming next month.

Houston Grand Opera

Houston Grand Opera will present a Ring Cycle over a period of four seasons beginning in 2014. Thus, Götterdämmerung will be presented in the 2017 season. Don’t miss any of these operas! It is an experience of a lifetime.

You can also see a live broadcast of this opera from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City at a local theatre on February 11, 2012. Go to http://www.fathomevents.com/performingarts/series/metropolitanopera.aspx 

Purchase a ticket for only $22. I’ll be there!

Links to all of Bob’s columns can be found at newsnet713.com/BobConnor.htm. You can reach him at bobconn@earthlink.net