Siegfried is the third of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring. For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... Der Ring des Nibelungen, (The Ring of the Nibelung), is a cycle of four epic music dramas by the German composer Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... The Bayreuth Festspielhaus (Bayreuth Festival Theatre) is an opera house built to the north of the town of Bayreuth in Germany, dedicated to the performance of Richard Wagners operas. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1876 Pick up Sticks(MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Composition

Main article: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Composition of the text

Main article: Der Ring des Nibelungen: Composition of the music

Roles

Hans Richter (1843–1916), Austrian conductor (born in what is now Hungary), studied at the Vienna Conservatory (showing a special interest in the horn) and developed his conducting career at several opera-houses in the Austro-Hungarian empire. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... A bass-baritone is a singing voice that shares certain qualities of both the baritone and the bass. ... A bass (or basso in Italian) is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range of the human voice. ... This article is about the voice-type. ... In music, an alto is a singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a soprano. ...

Synopsis

Act I

Mime comes upon Sieglinde in the forest, illustration by Arthur Rackham

Mime, Alberich's brother, is forging a blade in his cave within the forest. The Nibelung dwarf is plotting to obtain the Ring for himself, having raised Siegfried to kill Fafner for him. He needs a sword for Siegfried to use, but the youth has broken every blade he has made. Siegfried returns from his wanderings in the forest, demanding to know his parentage, and Mime is forced to explain how he took in Siegfried's mother, Sieglinde, who died giving birth. He shows Siegfried the shards of Nothung, and Siegfried orders him to reforge the sword. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (877x600, 137 KB) [edit] Subject Mime comes upon Sieglinde in the forest. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (877x600, 137 KB) [edit] Subject Mime comes upon Sieglinde in the forest. ... An illustration from Alices Adventures in Wonderland Arthur Rackham (September 19, 1867 – September 6, 1939) was a prolific English book illustrator. ... For finery forges (making iron), see finery forge. ... German Nibelung and the corresponding Old Norse form Niflung (Niflungr) refers in most of the German texts and in all the Old Norse texts to the royal family or lineage of the Burgundians who settled at Worms. ... This article is about the mythical creature. ... In Norse mythology, Andvarinaut was a magical ring, first owned by Andvari. ... Factoring via Network-Enabled Recursion (FAFNER) was a 1995 project trying to solve the RSA-130 factoring problem. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Signy and Hagbard Signy is the name of two heroines in two legends from Scandinavian mythology which were very popular in medieval Scandinavia. ... Illustration by Alan Lee In Norse mythology, Gram was the name of the sword that Sigurd (Siegfried) used to kill the dragon Fafnir. ...

Siegfried (Heinrich Gudehus) forges Nothung

Siegfried departs, leaving Mime in despair: it is beyond his skill to repair Nothung. An old man (Wotan in disguise) abruptly appears at his door. The Wanderer wagers his head on answering any three riddles from Mime, and Mime agrees in order to dispose of his unwelcome guest. He asks the Wanderer to name the races that live beneath the ground, on the surface, and the skies. These are the Nibelung, the Giants, and the Gods, as the Wanderer correctly answers. Now Mime is forced to wager his own head on answering the Wanderer's riddles. The Wanderer asks him to name the race most beloved of Wotan, but most harshly treated; the name of the blade that can destroy Fafner; and the person who can make the blade. Mime gives the answer to the first two riddles: the Wälsungs and Nothung. However, he is unable to answer the last riddle. Wotan spares Mime, telling him that only "he who does not know fear" can reforge Nothung, and leaves Mime's head forfeit to that person. Download high resolution version (600x968, 52 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (600x968, 52 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... A riddle is a statement or question having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. ... The giants Fafner and Fasolt seize Freyja in Arthur Rackhams illustration to Richard Wagners version of the Norse myths. ... In Old Norse, the Æsir (singular Ás, feminine Ásynja, feminine plural Ásynjur, Anglo-Saxon Ós, from Proto-Germanic *Ansuz) are the principal gods of the pantheon of Norse mythology. ...

Siegfried returns and is annoyed by Mime's lack of progress. Mime realizes that the one thing he has not taught Siegfried is fear. Siegfried is eager to learn it, and Mime promises to teach him by bringing him to Fafner the dragon. Since Mime was unable to forge Nothung, Siegfried decides to do it himself. He succeeds by shredding the metal, melting it, and casting it anew. In the meantime, Mime, realizing that by the terms of his agreement with the Wanderer his head is now forfeit to Siegfried, brews a poisoned drink to offer Siegfried after the youth has defeated the dragon.

Act II

Siegfried tastes the dragon's blood

The Wanderer arrives at the entrance to Fafner's cave, where Alberich is keeping a vigil. The old enemies quickly recognize each other. Alberich blusters, boasting of his plans for ruling the World once the Ring is returned to him. Wotan calmly states that he does not intend to obtain the Ring. To Alberich's surprise, Wotan wakes Fafner and informs the dragon that a hero is coming to fight him. Fafner dismisses the threat, refuses to surrender the Ring to Alberich, and returns to sleep. Both Wotan and Alberich depart. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x822, 137 KB) [edit] Subject Having slain Fafner, Siegfried tastes his blood and comes to understand the speech of birds. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x822, 137 KB) [edit] Subject Having slain Fafner, Siegfried tastes his blood and comes to understand the speech of birds. ...

At daybreak, Siegfried and Mime arrive. Mime decides to draw back while Siegfried confronts the dragon. As Siegfried waits for the dragon to appear, he notices a woodbird in a tree. Befriending it, he attempts to mimic the bird's song using a reed pipe, but is unsuccessful. He then plays a tune on his horn, which brings Fafner out of his cave. After a short exchange, they fight, and Siegfried stabs Fafner in the heart with Nothung. For other uses, see Horn. ... Factoring via Network-Enabled Recursion (FAFNER) was a 1995 project trying to solve the RSA-130 factoring problem. ... Illustration by Alan Lee In Norse mythology, Gram was the name of the sword that Sigurd (Siegfried) used to kill the dragon Fafnir. ...

In his last moments, Fafner learns Siegfried's name, and tells him to beware of treachery. When Siegfried draws his sword from the corpse, his hands are burned by the dragon's blood, and he instinctively puts them to his mouth. On tasting the blood, he finds that he can understand the woodbird's song. Following its instructions, he takes the Ring and the Tarnhelm from Fafner's hoard. Mime reappears, and Siegfried complains that he has still not learned the meaning of fear. Mime offers him the poisoned drink. However, the dragon's blood allows Siegfried to read Mime's treacherous thoughts, and he slays the Nibelung. Siegfried then throws Mime's body into the treasure cave-and places Fafner's body in the cave entrance to block it as well. Dragons blood serves a purpose in many different mythologies. ... A language of the birds, a mystical, perfect or divine language, or a mythical or magical language used by birds to communicate with the initiated , is postulated in mythology, medieval literature and occultism. ... A magic helmet in Richard Wagners Der Ring des Nibelungen. ...

The woodbird now sings of a woman sleeping on a rock surrounded by magic fire. Siegfried, wondering if he can learn fear from this woman, heads toward the mountain.

Act III

Brünnhilde and Siegfried

The Wanderer appears on the path to Brünnhilde's rock and summons Erda, the earth goddess. Erda, appearing confused, is unable to offer any advice. Wotan informs her that he no longer fears the end of the Gods; indeed, it is his desire. His heritage will be left to Siegfried the Walsung, and their child, Brünnhilde, will "work the deed that redeems the World." Dismissed,Erda sinks back into the earth. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x1084, 130 KB) [edit] Subject Brünnhilde and Siegfried. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x1084, 130 KB) [edit] Subject Brünnhilde and Siegfried. ... Jord was, in Norse mythology, the goddess of the Earth. ... Look up Ragnarok in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Siegfried arrives, and the Wanderer questions the youth. Siegfried, who does not recognize his grandfather, answers insolently and starts down the path towards Brünnhilde's rock. The Wanderer blocks his path, but Siegfried breaks Wotan's spear with a blow from Nothung. Wotan calmly gathers up the pieces and vanishes. In Norse mythology, Gungnir (also Gungni, Gungner, or Gungrir) was the name of Odins javelin. ...

Siegfried enters the ring of fire, emerging on Brünnhilde's rock. At first, he thinks the armored figure is a man. However, when he removes the armor, he finds a woman beneath. Uncertain about what to do, Siegfried at last experiences fear. In desperation, he kisses Brünnhilde, waking her from her magic sleep. Hesitant at first, Brünnhilde is won over by Siegfried's love, and renounces the world of the Gods. Together, they hail "light-bringing love, and laughing death."And the curtain falls.

Noted excerpts

As with the rest of the Ring, a few excerpts are heard outside the opera house. The most common heard excerpt from Siegfried is the Forest Murmurs.

Other famous excerpts include

• Prelude to Act I
• Siegfried's Forging Song (Nothung! Nothung! Neidliches Schwert!) (Act I)
• Forest Murmurs (Act II)
• Prelude to Act III
• Brünnhilde's Awakening (Heil dir, Sonne!) (Act III)
• Quotations of the Siegfried Idyll (Act III)

j The Siegfried Idyll is one of Richard Wagners few non-operatic works. ...

Sources

Siegfried begins fearless, and expresses his wish to learn fear to his foster father Mime, who says the wise learn fear quickly, but the stupid find it more difficult. In a letter to his friend Theodor Uhlig, Wagner recounts The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was, about a boy so stupid he could not discover what fear was -- and points out that the youth and Siegfried are the same character. Although Wagner did not include the connection, the boy is taught fear by his wife, as Siegfried learns it when he discovers the sleeping Brünnhilde. ^[1] The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was is a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. ... Sigurd and Brynhilds funeral In Norse mythology, Brynhildr was a shieldmaiden and a valkyrie. ...

References

1. ^ Maria Tatar, The Hard Facts of the Grimms' Fairy Tales, p104, ISBN 0-691-06722-8

See also

• Der Ring des Nibelungen

• Der Ring des Nibelungen: Composition of the text

• Der Ring des Nibelungen: Composition of the music

• Sigurd

Der Ring des Nibelungen, (The Ring of the Nibelung), is a cycle of four epic music dramas by the German composer Richard Wagner. ... Sigurd sculpture in Bremen Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr, German: Siegfried) was a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Siegfried

• Richard Wagner - Siegfried. A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.
• Vocal score of Siegfried