Yareah Magazine

Dr. Larry Brown

Richard Wagner took 25 years (1848-1874) to complete what he called his master artwork of the future: THE RING OF THE NIBELUNG (Rhinegold, Valkyrie, Siegfried and Twilight).

After writing a full prose sketch of the main narrative in 1848, Wagner first wrote the poetry for the tragedy of Siegfried's Death (Gotterdammerung in its final form) with extensive exposition explaining the mythical past. He soon came to realize that he needed to present the events leading up to Siegfried's death in more detail and in dramatic form, that is, acted in full on stage rather than as narration. So next he added a "prequel" Young Siegfried, then eventually wrote the text to Rhinegold and Valkyrie to complete the four-part cycle.
He completed composition of the music to Rhinegold in 1854, Valkyrie in 1856, but after composing Acts 1 and 2 of Siegfried he despaired of ever finishing his masterwork, and didn't complete the third opera until 12 years later. The first festival presentation at Bayreuth of the entire Ring Cycle occurred in 1876.
Mythological Background
Wagner created his Ring by adapting the myths from several sources (13th century AD): the Icelandic works Poetic Edda, Prose Edda (by Snorri Sturluson), and Volsunga saga, and in German the Niebelungenlied, are among the major sources. But Wagner transformed the original myths to meet his dramatic requirements.

In the Volsunga Saga, Siegmund (who is not Odin's son in the original) obtains his sword from the tree, mates with Signy his sister unknowingly (she's in disguise), and kills her cruel husband but she dies with her husband in a fire. By another wife, Siegmund has Sigurd (Siegfried). Siegmund is killed in battle when Odin smashes his sword (but not as punishment for incest). Sigurd is brought up at the court of Denmark, with Regin (Fafner's brother) as ward (story of the dragon slayer).

At this point Norse and Germanic versions diverge: Wagner follows Volsunga Saga more closely, concerning Sigurd's discovery of Brünnhilde in the ring of fire, his falling in love with Kriemhild (Gutrune) by the magic potion, and his death except Sigurd is killed in bed by Hogni (Hagen), not during the forest hunt.

BIOGRAPHY
	This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr. Larry Brown Dr. Larry Brown, professor of English and Bible, Lipscomb University, Nashville TN PhD in Dramatic Arts, Masters in Religion have taught mythology for about 10 years as a literature course directed theater for 23 years.