Opera Guide and Synopsis: The Twilight of the Gods, by Richard Wagner

Götterdämmerung (The Twilight of the Gods) is the fourth and final opera of Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Niebelung (Der Ring des Niebelungen). The title comes from the Norse ragnarök (the fate of the gods), which was miswritten by Snorri Sturluson as ragnarökkr (the twilight of the gods).

The libretto was written in November 1848 and originally titled Siegfrieds Tod (Siegfried's Death). This was the first of the Ring Cycle libretti; Das Rheingold, Die Walkürie, and Siegfried were subsequently written to explain the story of Siegfried's origin and the ring. Götterdämmerung premiered as part of the complete Ring Cycle at Bayreuth on August 17, 1876.

Characters in Götterdämmerung

• Siegfried, son of Siegmund and Sieglinde (Tenor)
• Brünnhilde, the chief of the Valkyrie (Soprano)
• Gunther, king of the Gibichung (Baritone)
• Gutrune, his sister (Soprano)
• Hagen, their half-brother, son of Alberich and Grimhilde (Bass)
• Alberich, a Niebelung (Baritone)
• Waltraute, one of the Valkyrie (Mezzo-soprano)
• Three Norns, daughters of Erda and weavers of fate (Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, and Contralto)
• Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde, the Rhine maidens (Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, and Contralto)

Synopsis of Götterdämmerung

Prologue

The Norns reveal that Wotan has ordered a new spear made from the World Ash tree, and he sits in Valhalla awaiting his destiny in the Twilight of the Gods. The rope of fate breaks, and they cry to Erda for help.

Siegfried leaves Brünnhilde, but gives her the ring as a token of his love. In return she gives him her shield and her horse, and he rides off as Brünnhilde's right hand.

Act I

Hagen advises Gutrune and Gunther that their fame would increase if they married well. He tells them of Brünnhilde, who has been trapped in enchanted sleep and could only be saved by the bravest hero, and Siegfried, hero of renown. When Siegfried arrives, Hagen brews Siegfried a potion which causes him to forget Brünnhilde and fall in love with Gutrune. Thus enchanted, Siegfried promises to win Brünnhilde's hand for Gunther.

Alone, Brünnhilde kisses the ring. Her sister Waltraute tells her what has happened while she slept and bids her prevent future suffering by returning the ring to the Rhine maidens. Brünnhilde refuses, and tells Waltraute to tell the gods that she would rather see Valhalla fall than give up Siegfried's love token.

Siegfried arrives, disguised as Gunther with the help of the Tarnhelm. He takes the ring away from Brünnhilde and carries her off to become Gunther's bride.

Act II

Alberich commands his son Hagen to take back the ring so it will not be returned to the Rhine.

A chorus welcomes the wedding of Gunther and Brünnhilde. Seeing Siegfried with the ring, Brünnhilde realizes that it was he who kidnapped her and accuses him of betraying both her and Gunther. In anger, she conspires with Hagen and Gunther to kill Siegfried, telling them that he can only be killed if he is stabbed in the back.

Act III

While hunting, Siegfried encounters the Rhine maidens. They ask him for the ring and, when he refuses, warn him that he will soon die.

Hagen gives Siegfried a drink which restores his memory. Siegfried tells the story of how he understood the language of birds and was able to rescue Brünnhilde. Hagen mocks him, asking if he understands ravens as well, and then stabs him in the back with his spear. He tells the others that Siegfried deserved it for breaking an oath. Siegfried dies thinking of Brünnhilde.

Siegfried's body is brought back with a solemn funeral march. Gutrune rushes out to him. Hagen demands the ring, but Gunther refuses, and Hagen kills him. Hagen reaches for Siegfried's hand, but the hand raises, frightening those around.

Brünnhilde sings an elegy for Siegfried, understanding that he was a pawn of fate. She takes the ring from his finger before lighting the funeral pyre, then rides her horse onto the pyre with him. Hagen attempts to recover the ring, but the Rhine maidens drag him under and take the ring back. Valhalla is destroyed, consumed by fire.

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.