The Ring is Wagner's crowning work. Based on the medieval epic poem Nibelungen, it consists of four operas: a prelude (Das Rheingold) as well as the three that make up the "trilogy" (Die Walkuere, Siegfried and Goetterdaemmerung). Due to its scope (over fourteen hours in all) it is spread out over four evenings, and is quite a work to digest. Following are synopses of each of the four operas that, together, make up Der Ring des Nibelungen.
DAS RHEINGOLD (The Rhinegold)
Scene One: This scene opens on the Rhine River, as three Rhinemaidens, or water sprites, play and tease each other. A dwarf, Alberich, is drawn to the water's edge by their cavorting and each maiden in turns tempts him, then leaves him to flounder in the water. They continue playing when a golden light shines through the water, illuminating the faces of the Rhinemaidens who greet it with joy. Alberich, in awe at the sight of the gold, asks them what it is. It is the Rhinegold, from which a ring can be fashioned. This ring will grant unlimited power, but only if he who possesses it denies the power of love. The dwarf, seizing the gold, does so and runs off, leaving the cries of the maidens behind.
Scene Two: Wotan, the king of the gods and his wife Fricka awaken to find a fortress in the distance, which they had ordered two giants, Fasolt and Fafner, to build. The payment, however, is to be Fricka's sister, Freia. After Fricka pleads with her husband to find another form of payment, he consents. The giants then arrive with Freia, demanding that she be given to them as promised. When Wotan attempts to offer something else as payment, the giants refuse. The giants begin to take Freia away when her brothers, Froh and Donner come to her rescue. Wotan stops them just as Loge, another god, comes bearing news. He tells of how the dwarf gave up love in order to obtain the power of the ring. He asks Wotan to see to it that the gold is returned to the Rhinemaidens. Wotan, however, begins to lust after the power of the gold himself, and is encouraged by his wife. The giants, too, want the ring, and say they will hold Freia hostage until the gold is delivered to them. The only remaining problem is that without Freia's golden apples to nourish them, the gods will slowly die. She is then taken away by the giants.
Scene Three: Alberich, having siezed the gold and crafted a ring, is tormenting his brother, Mime, with its power. When Alberich leaves, Wotan and Loge arrive and offer to help Mime. Alberich soon returns, however, and confronts the gods. Wotan tries to sweet talk the dwarf, but Alberich knows that he now wields unlimited power and no longer needs their grace. They trick him into revealing the power of the ring, and Alberich does so by turning himself into a dragon. The gods, persist, however, and trick him once again by acknowledging that a dragon is impressive, but can he turn himself into something small, like a toad? He does so, and is captured by the gods.
Scene Four: The gods take Alberich into the mountains, where they reside, and tell him he must give up the gold in order to be returned home. Alberich gives up the gold, but refuses to give up his ring. Alberich tried to talk his way out of it by guilting Wotan, saying that even in the posession of the gods, the gold has still been stolen from the Rhinemaidens. Wotan becomes angry, and pulls the ring from the dwarf's finger. He concedes, but not before placing a curse on the ring and whoever owns it. Keeping the ring, Wotan offers the rest of the gold to the giants in return for Freia's release. They are unwilling to release her without the ring, however, and demand that Wotan give it up as well. He refuses at first, but the appearance of the earth goddess Erda, and her warnings about the curse, convince him to allow the giants to have the ring. A fight soon erupts between the two brothers, and ends in the death of Fasolt. The curse has already begun to take effect. The opera ends with the gods entering their new fortress, Valhalla. The Rhinemaidens continue to cry over their lost gold, but the gods ignore them.
DIE WALKUERE (The Valkyrie)
Prelude and Act I: The opera begins with a thunderstorm, which begins to calm as Siegmund enters Hunding's cottage and collapses on the floor, exhausted. Hunding's wife, Sieglinde discovers him and he awakens to find himself in unfamiliar surroundings. He tells Sieglinde that he has been wounded by enemies of his, and chased there. Sieglinde invites him to stay. Hunding is angry when he discovers the stranger in his house, and as they talk he learns that Siegmund's enemies are relatives of his. Hunding grudgingly agrees to let Siegmund stay the night, but he must leave in the morning. Sieglinde prepares her husband a drink but secretly drugs it and points out to Siegmund the location of a sword, thrust into a tree trunk. It had been put there by a stranger who attended Hunding and Sieglinde's wedding, and no one had been able to remove it. Sieglinde and Siegmund declare their love for each other, and he sucessfully pulls the sword from the tree trunk. They embrace as the curtain falls.
Act II: Back on the mountaintops, Wotan is instructing his daughter Bruennhilde, the Valkyrie, to watch over Siegmund that he may win the battle with Hunding. Wotan's wife Fricka, however, favors Hunding. They exchange words about the matter, and in the end Wotan promises that he and his daughter will not meddle in the affairs of Siegmund and Hunding. Wotan then relates the story from Das Rheingold to his daughter. Following that he goes to see Erda, the goddess who told him to give up the ring and who is also the mother of Bruennhilde. They discuss the dwarf Alberich, and how they must keep him from again posessing the ring. To do this, the ring must be taken back from the giant Fafner. They decide that Siegmund is just the hero to accomplish this task. He must, however, die for this to happen. The Valkyrie attempts to protect him during his battle with Hunding, but Wotan thwarts her and Siegmund is killed. In anger, Wotan kills Hunding, then goes to punish his daughter for disobeying his orders.
Act III: Bruennhilde has rescued Sieglinde, who is now pregnant with Siegmund's child, and asks her Valkyrie sisters to protect her and the mortal woman from Wotan's wrath. Turned away, she hides Sieglinde in the forest. Bruennhilde's punishment is to be confined alone on a mountain, surrounded by a ring of fire. Wotan knows he must do this, but does so with sorrow. He leaves her there, and the curtain falls.
SIEGFRIED
Prelude and Act I: In the forest Mime, brother to the dwarf Alberich, is making a sword for a boy named Siegfried, the son of Sieglinde and Siegmund. The boy came under the dwarf's care after his mother died giving him birth. Only now does the boy learn the truth about his mother, but he still does not know who his father is. Mime hopes that Siegfried will be able to slay the dragon that Fafner has turned himself into with the ring's power. The only sword that can slay him, however, would be a sword made from the boy's father's sword, which he had removed from the tree stump. Unfortunately the dwarf does not believe he has the skill to fashion the broken sword into a new one for Siegfried. Wotan disguises himself as a wanderer and shows up at Mime's cave. After answering several questions, Wotan wins Mime's confidence then in turn asks questions of the dwarf. Wotan learns that Mime cannot construct the sword, to be named Nothung. He tells the dwarf that the only one who can construct the sword is one who has never known fear. After Wotan departs, Mime becomes afraid of Siegfried. When the boy asks for the sword, Mime tries to discourage him but the boy begins to forge it himself. Fearing that Siegfried will kill him for not being able to make the sword, Mime plots to drug Siegfried after he's slayed the dragon, then kill the boy himself.
Act II: Wotan, as the wanderer, finds the dwarf Alberich by the dragon Fafner's cave. He warns Alberich about Siegfried and wakes the dragon, asking him to give up the ring. Fafner refuses, and Wotan goes on his way. Mime and Siegfried arrive and after Mime tells the boy a little about the dragon, he leaves Siegfried to ponder about his parents. He is glad that the dwarf is not his father, as he previously thought, but also sad that his mother died in childbirth. After enjoying the song of a bird, who was also giving him advice, he blows on his horn and summons the dragon from his cave. He slays the dragon, who tells the boy, as he's dying, the story of his parents. Afterwards, he enters the cave to retrieve the ring. When he does, Mime and Alberich show up at the entrance and quarrel about who should have the ring. Siegfried comes out of the cave and the bird tells him to beware of Mime. The dwarf tries to sweet talk the boy, but Siegfried knows his true intentions and kills Mime. The bird then tells Siegfried about his bride, who awaits him on a mountain top within a ring of fire. He follows as the bird leads him to her.
Act III: Wotan, while talking with the goddess Erda, learns of her disapproval of the fact that he had enprisoned Bruennhilde within the ring of fire. Wotan also tells her that he doesn't fear the demise of the gods any longer; in a way, he welcomes it because he knows that the boy will be able to defeat the evil Alberich. Wotan then goes to intercept Siegfried. The begin to argue, and when the god tried to stop the boy with his spear, Siegfried shatters it with his sword. Wotan disappears, and Siegfried approaches the ring of fire. He conquers it. He ascends the mountain and, although afraid, he awakens her with a kiss. For them to be together, Bruennhilde must become a mortal and she does so willingly, out of the love they share.
GOETTERDAEMMERUNG (Twilight of the Gods)
Prologue: Daughters of the earth goddess Erda, the three Norns, are telling stories from the past, about Wotan, about Siegfried, and about how Wotan has the World Ash tree cut down and the pieces placed around Valhalla, to one day be ignited to destroy the home of the gods. They also tell stories of Alberich and how he stole the Rhinegold, which frightens them and they depart. Siegfried and Bruennhilde, now together awaken as the sun rises. After exchanging gifts (Siegfried gives Bruennhilde the ring, and she gives him her horse) he goes off to do good deeds and be a hero.
Act I: Gunther, a king and his brother and sister sit in their palace. Gunther asks about his reputation and is told that the people would like him more if he found a wife and if his sister, Gunthrene, were to find a husband. Hagen, the brother, tells of Siegfried and Bruennhilde and of a potion that will cause Siegfried to forget his lover. Siegfried then arrived, and the trio welcome him. He tells of his exploits with the dragon and the ring, and tells them about Bruennhilde. Unknowingly, he is given the potion to drink and he forgets his lover, then proposes marriage to Gutrune. He is then told about Bruennhilde, whom he has forgotten and he agrees to, disguised as Gunther, go retrieve her. They set off while Hagen remains behind to hatch a plan on how he will obtain power. Back on the mountain Bruennhilde is visited by her sister, Waltraute, who tells of Wotan's plan to burn down Valhalla. He wants the ring to be returned to the Rhinemaides first, though, and tried to get Bruennhilde to give it up. She refuses and sends her sister back with that message. When Siegfried arrives, disguised as Gunther, he takes the ring and captures her.
Act II: Siegfried returns to the palace, where Hagen awaits. He has been visited by the dwarf Alberich, who is in fact his father. Alberich tells him to steal the ring, but Hagen refuses to hand it over to the dwarf once he does so. Siegfried tells how he captured Bruennhilde, switched places with the real Gunther, and how Gunther and Bruennhilde would be coming along shortly. The people are gathered to celebrate the wedding. Seeing Siegfried as his true self, Bruennhilde is shocked, and asks what the deal is. She says that Siegfried is her husband and had, as Gunther, seduced her. This causes anger in the true Gunther. Siegfried swears his innocence, and arrangements for the wedding continue. Meanwhile Hagen is plotting to kill Siegfried, and gets Gunther in on the plan by promising him the ring. Bruennhilde, angry at his betrayal, tells them that his back would be the only place they could strike at him successfully. The wedding procession the begins to form.
Act III: The scene returns to the Rhinemaidens, who still lament for the stolen gold. Siegfried, having gotten lost while hunting, comes upon them. They ask him for the ring but he turns them down, in spite of their warning about the curse. The rest of the hunting party arrives, and they ask Siegfried to tell them of him life. He does so, beginning with the dwarf Mime who raised him, then tells of the dragon, and finally Bruennhilde. Hagen, having given him another potion so that he would remember his lover, then stabs Siegfried in the back as he is still too shocked to react, thinking about the woman he had betrayed. After returning to the palace, Hagen makes a move to take the ring from Siegfried's dead hand. When Gunther tried to stop him, he too is murdered. When Hagen goes for the ring again, Siegfried's hand raises, shocking everyone. Bruennhilde promises to the gods that the ring will be returned to the Rhinemaidens as a funeral pyre is prepared for Siegfried. She lights it, then mounts her horse and rides into the fire, causing the whole building to catch on fire. The Rhine floods, however, extinguishing the fire and the Rhinemaidens enter. Hagen tries to take it from them, but they drown him beneath the water. The river recedes and a flame rises into the sky, setting Valhalla on fire as all the gods and heroes gather.