This is the first instalment in what promises to be at least a four-part series, designed specifically as an accessible introduction to Richard Wagner's monumental Ring Cycle. It is not, we hasten to add, intended for the seasoned Wagnerite who already "lives" and breathes every bar of Bayreuth; rather, it is crafted for the genuinely curious – those eager to embark upon this epic journey but perhaps intimidated by its vastness. Consequently, we shall deliberately steer clear of the myriad artistic, political, philosophical, and esoteric scholarly debates that often surround the Ring. For those seeking an even swifter preliminary immersion, an accompanying audio introduction, which we have had made, is available below - as is Dallas Opera's full performance of Das Rheingold.
So, you've heard the name, perhaps seen a snippet, or even just felt the sheer weight of its reputation. Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen – often simply called "The Ring" – isn't just a series of operas; it's a foundational epic of Western culture, a four-part saga that redefined what music and theatre could achieve. Think of it less like going to a show and more like embarking on a grand, multi-day journey into myth, power, and the very nature of existence.
It’s a commitment, yes, but one that rewards you with an experience unlike anything else in the arts. Wagner didn’t just write music; he created what he called a Gesamtkunstwerk – a "total work of art" – where music, drama, poetry, and stagecraft all intertwine to create a unified, immersive experience. And at its heart is a story of gods, giants, dwarves, and heroes, all driven by ambition, love, and a cursed piece of gold.
Now, about the story itself: while sometimes broadly referred to as "Viking myth" (Ed: to many Walkures with horned helmets, me thinks), Wagner's Ring is more accurately a grand synthesis drawn from a rich tapestry of ancient Germanic and Norse sagas. He delved deep into the Nibelungenlied, a medieval German epic poem, and the Old Norse Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, which are primary sources for Norse mythology. So, while you'll recognise figures akin to Odin (Wotan), Loki (Loge), and the Valkyries, Wagner reshaped and reinterpreted these myths, infusing them with his own philosophical ideas about power, redemption, and the fall of worlds. It's a journey into a world echoing with ancient thunder and primaeval forces, yet uniquely Wagner's own creation.
The entire Ring cycle can take upwards of 15 hours to perform, spread over four evenings. It’s a monumental undertaking for the audience, the singers, the orchestra, and the creative team. But Wagner crafted it so that each part stands on its own while contributing to the larger narrative.
Diving into the Prologue: Das Rheingold
Our journey begins not with a grand overture that states all the themes, but with something far more elemental: Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold). Wagner called this piece the "Vorabend" – the "Preliminary Evening" or "Fore-evening." It’s a brilliant way to frame it, as it acts as a prologue, laying the essential groundwork for everything that follows. Unlike the three subsequent operas, Das Rheingold is performed straight through, without an interval, lasting about two and a half hours. This continuous flow immediately pulls you into its world without a break.
The Genesis of Sound: The E-flat Major Chord
The very beginning of Das Rheingold is legendary. It starts with a single, sustained E-flat major chord, held for an extraordinary 136 bars. Imagine a deep, resonant hum, slowly building in intensity. This isn’t just music; it’s the sound of creation itself. Wagner uses low strings, then bassoons, then horns, gradually adding more instruments, creating a sense of primordial mist, of the very elements coalescing. It’s the sonic representation of the Rhine River at its deepest, most ancient point, before the world of gods and mortals truly awakens. It sets a profound, almost meditative atmosphere, inviting you to sink into the myth.
The Rhinemaidens and the Gold
From this ethereal opening emerge the Rhinemaidens: Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde. They are the playful, innocent guardians of the eponymous Rhinegold, a magical treasure lying on a rock deep beneath the river’s surface. Their music is light, graceful, and full of natural joy. They are content in their watery realm, teasing each other and tending to the gold, which gleams with a soft, magical light.
They sing of the gold’s power, but also of a terrible condition: only someone who renounces love entirely can seize it and forge it into a ring of immense power – a ring that would grant its wearer dominion over the entire world. To them, this seems impossible; who would ever choose power over love?
The Intruder: Alberich
This is the original sin of the Ring. Alberich’s renunciation isn’t just a personal choice; it unleashes a corrupting force into the world. He then takes the gold back to Nibelheim, where he forces his brother Mime to forge it into a Ring of Power and a magical helmet called the Tarnhelm, which allows him to change shape or become invisible.
The Gods in Crisis: Valhalla and Wotan
Now, we shift dramatically to the world of the gods, who live high on a mountaintop, awaiting the completion of their magnificent new fortress: Valhalla. Presiding over them is Wotan, the chief god (the Germanic counterpart to the Norse Odin). He is a complex, often flawed, figure – powerful but also bound by contracts, deceitful, and desperately trying to maintain his authority.
Wotan has commissioned the giants Fasolt and Fafner to build Valhalla. His promised payment? Freia, the goddess of youth and beauty, whose golden apples keep the gods immortal.
When the giants arrive to claim their payment, Wotan tries to squirm out of the deal. His wife, Fricka (goddess of marriage and domesticity, akin to the Norse Frigg), is furious that he would even consider sacrificing her sister. The other gods, too, are worried; without Freia and her apples, they begin to sicken and age.
The Cunning of Loge
Journey to Nibelheim and the Trickery
Wotan and Loge descend into Nibelheim, a dark, smoky realm of enslaved dwarves, forced by Alberich and the Ring’s power to mine and hoard treasure. Here, we see the corrupting influence of the Ring in full effect: Alberich has become a brutal tyrant.
Loge, ever the trickster, challenges Alberich to demonstrate the Tarnhelm's power. Alberich transforms into a giant snake, then, foolishly, into a tiny toad. Wotan and Loge seize the opportunity, capture him, and drag him back to the surface.
The Curse of the Ring
To regain his freedom, Alberich is forced to surrender all his treasure, including the Tarnhelm and, most painfully for him, the Ring itself. As Wotan tears the Ring from Alberich’s finger, the dwarf unleashes a terrifying curse: "As I gained it with a curse, cursed be this Ring! No one shall happily possess it! Its owner shall be enslaved by it; and its slave shall desire its power unto death!" This curse will echo throughout the entire cycle, bringing ruin to every hand it touches.
Valhalla's Entry
With the giants gone, the gods, rejuvenated by Freia’s return, finally prepare to enter Valhalla. The rainbow bridge shimmers into existence, a majestic pathway to their new home. But even as the gods ascend, Loge, ever the cynic, remains detached, foreseeing their ultimate doom. The opera concludes with the gods entering Valhalla, seemingly triumphant, yet beneath the surface, the curse of the Ring already casts a long shadow, promising destruction for the very world Wotan has so painstakingly built.
Why Das Rheingold is Crucial for Newcomers
Das Rheingold is your essential roadmap for the entire Ring. It introduces:
The mythological foundation: How Wagner adapted ancient Germanic and Norse sources to create his unique narrative.
The central conflict: The struggle for power embodied by the Ring and its curse versus the forces of love and fate.
Key characters: Wotan (the supreme god), Loge (the cunning fire-god), Alberich (the cursed dwarf), the Rhinemaidens, and the giants (who, through Fafner, will play a role later).
Thematic ideas: The corrupting nature of power, the breaking of contracts, the price of ambition, and the inexorable march of destiny.
Wagner's musical language: You’ll begin to recognise the leitmotifs – musical themes associated with specific characters, objects, or ideas. The shimmering "Rhinegold" motif, the weighty "Valhalla" theme, the unsettling "Renunciation of Love" theme, the powerful "Ring" motif itself – these will become familiar guides throughout your journey, weaving through the entire 15-hour epic.
It's a compact, dynamic, and musically rich introduction to a world that will consume you. Once you understand the setup of Rheingold, you’re perfectly positioned to tackle the human drama and heroic tales that unfold in Die Walküre, the next opera in this unparalleled cycle.
