Opera Guide and Synopsis: Das Rheingold, by Richard Wagner

Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold) is the first opera of Richard Wagner's opera cycle The Ring of the Niebelung (Der Ring des Niebelungen). The libretto of the Ring Cycle was actually written backwards, beginning with Siegfrieds Tod (Siegfried's Death, which came to be called Götterdämmerung) in 1848 and ending with Das Rheingold in 1853. The opera's music was written in 1853 and 1854. Despite Wagner's wishes to premiere the cycle in its entirety, Das Rheingold premiered on its own in Munich on September 22, 1869.

Characters in Das Rheingold

• Wotan, king of the gods (Bass-baritone)
• Fricka, his wife (Mezzo-soprano)
• Freia, her sister (Soprano)
• Loge, god of fire (Tenor)
• Donner (Tenor)
• Froh (Tenor)
• Erda, goddess of the earth (Contralto)
• Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde, Rhine maidens (Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, and Contralto)
• Alberich, a dwarf (Baritone)
• Mime, his brother (Tenor)
• Fasolt, a giant (Bass-baritone)
• Fafner, his brother (Bass)

Synopsis of Das Rheingold

The opera is performed in a single act. It begins with a prelude emerging from a single low E flat, which represents the emergence of life out of the primal waters.

Scene 1

The Rhine maidens sing and play in the Rhine, where they guard the titular Rheingold. Alberich, a Niebelung (dwarf) arrives, and they tease him. When he learns that one can form the Rheingold into a ring and gain power over the world if only one renounces love, he curses love and steals the gold.

Scene 2

Wotan and Fricka awaken in Valhalla, which has been built by the giants in return for the goddess Freia. With Freia gone, the gods will not have the golden apples which grant them eternal youth. Freia enters, fleeing the giants. Loge brings news of Alberich's ring, and the gods offer the Rheingold to the giants in exchange for Freia. The giants agree, but take Freia away until they receive their gold, causing the gods to age.

Scene 3

Wotan and Loge descend to the home of the Niebelungs, where Alberich has used his power to force his brother Mime to forge a magic helmet and to keep the other Niebelungs enslaved. With the power of the helmet, Alberich turns into a dragon and then a toad, whereupon the gods easily capture him and bring him to Valhalla.

Scene 4

Alberich agrees to give up his treasure, which the gods will trade to the giants, in exchange for his freedom. Wotan wishes the ring for himself, but Alberich puts a curse on it to destroy anyone who wears it.

The giants return for their gold, demanding a big enough pile to hide Freia from their sight. There is a small hole which must be filled with the ring, which Wotan does not wish to give up. Erda, the goddess of the earth, warns Wotan that the ring will bring doom and the downfall of the gods. Wotan gives the ring to the giants, who return Freia. Fafner kills Fasolt in a struggle over the ring.

Donner creates a rainbow bridge to bring the gods to Valhalla. The Rhine maidens mourn the loss of the Rheingold, and Loge mocks them.

Sources

Melitz, Leo, trans. Richard Salinger. The Opera Goers' Complete Guide. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1921.

Newman, Ernest. Stories of the Great Operas and Their Composers. Garden City: Garden City Publishing Co., Inc., 1930.