Götterdämmerung

Prologue

It is nighttime, and three Norns sit around a fir tree, weaving the rope of fate, which holds the knowledge of past, present, and future. They tell how they used to sit by the World Ash Tree until Wotan had it cut up and piled around Valhalla in preparation for the final conflagration. The rope sags, and when it is stretched it breaks. The Norns have lost their wisdom and their ability to control destiny, and must return to their mother Erda.

Day breaks upon the Siegfried and Brünnhilde. Brünnhilde has passed her divine knowledge on to Siegfried and now offers him her horse Grane, urging him to accomplish more heroic adventures and feats. He gives her the Ring as a pledge of their love, mounts Grane and descends into the Rhine valley.

Act I

The Gibichung king Gunther inquires of his half-brother, Hagen, what can be done to enhance the glory of their clan. Hagen describes a wonderful woman surrounded by magic fire, who would make him an excellent queen. However, only a man who does not know fear can reach her. Gunther, knowing he is not up to the task, despairs until Hagen tells of a hero who might be persuaded to do the deed in order to win the hand of Gunther’s sister Gutrune.

Suddenly, Siegfried’s horn call is heard, and he is seen, with a horse, approaching on a boat. He is welcomed by Hagen and pledges friendship with Gunther. Gutrune enters and offers Siegfried a drink, which Hagen has laced with a potion of forgetfulness. Siegfried immediately forgets Brünnhilde and falls in love with Gutrune. Asked how he might win her, Gunther describes the wondrous woman encircled by flames who he wishes to marry. Siegfried repeats this uncomprehendingly, then readily agrees to assume Gunther’s form using the Tarnhelm and bring Brünnhilde back as Gunther’s bride.

Siegfried and Gunther swear blood kinship, vowing death to any who would betray the bond. Hagen declines to join the pact, claiming that he does not share the hot blood of the others. As Siegfried and Gunther cheerfully set out on their quest, Hagen remains behind relishing the thought that the Ring will soon be in his hands, fulfilling his destiny as the son of Alberich.

Brünnhilde, ever anxious for Siegfried’s return, hears someone approach. It is her sister, the Valkyrie Waltraute, who brings her news of Valhalla and the gods. Wotan has fallen into deep despondency, and having surrounded Valhalla with a pyre, awaits the end of the gods. They can only be saved if the Ring is returned to the Rhine maidens. When Brünnhilde refuses to part with the symbol of Siegfried’s love, Waltraute rides off in despair.

A man approaches through the fire. She is overjoyed at Siegfried’s return until she sees the form of Gunther, who has come to claim her. She cries to Wotan, seeing that this is now her true punishment, to be claimed by another man other than Siegfried. She attempts to fend him off with the Ring, but he wrests it from her. He orders Brünnhilde to her cave, where they will spend the night together. As she walks off, Gunther removes the Tarnhelm and shows that he is Siegfried. He states that he will spend this night with her, but his sword Nothung shall lie between them to preserve Gunther’s honor.

Act II

Just before dawn Hagen sits asleep by the bank of the Rhine. Alberich appears, wanting to impress upon Hagen the importance of regaining the Ring. Hagen has been bred and raised in hatred for this end, and nothing must go wrong according to Alberich. He assures Alberich that his plans are ready and he knows the importance of gaining the Ring.

Alberich fades away as dawn breaks, and Siegfried suddenly appears. His cheerful entry rouses Hagen and he relates how he has used the Tarnhelm to transport himself here while Gunther and Brünnhilde follow on the boat. Gutrune greats him and receives his assurance that he has remained faithful to her. The two lovers leave to prepare a feast for the arriving royal couple.

Hagen climbs on a rock and blows his horn to summon the vassals as if for battle. As they assemble, anxious to know what enemy threatens, he orders animals prepared for sacrifice to the gods in celebration of Gunther’s upcoming wedding. They are enjoying Hagen’s joke when the boat appears carrying Gunther and Brünnhilde.

Gunther proudly introduces Brünnhile who appears downcast. He bids all to celebrate the wedding of two couples: Gunther and Brünnhilde; Siegfried and Gutrune. At the mention of Siegfried, Brünnhilde is aghast. She is shocked to see Siegfried marrying someone else. As he attempts to calm her, she sees the Ring on his finger. Brünnhilde states that she has been wronged with Siegfried wearing the Ring when it was Guther that supposedly took it from her.

Hagen tells the soldiers to mark her words well and avenge anyone who might have wronged their new queen. In her anger, she calls for vengeance on Siegfried, who was married to her but has betrayed her. Still remembering nothing of his past life with her, Siegfried claims that he has been true to his pact with Gunther. Each in turn swears on Hagen’s spear to the truth of their claims. Siegfried assures Gunther that Brünnhilde will soon calm down and appreciate the marriage. He leaves with Gutrune to prepare for the wedding, and the vassals disperse, leaving Brünnhilde alone with Gunther and Hagen.

Brünnhilde, having given all her wisdom to Siegfried, is perplexed by the turn of events and wonders how she might be avenged. Hagen has the answer. She is contemptuous of his plan, but admits that although she has rendered Siegfried invulnerable to harm when facing with an enemy, his back is unprotected since he would never flee danger. Gunther laments the cowardice by which he, in attempting to win Brünnhilde by treachery, has betrayed himself. He is genuinely fond of Siegfried, and is becomes convinced that the hero’s death is necessary only when Hagen suggests the power that Gunther might have with the Ring. Concerned about Gutrune’s reaction, they will disguise Siegfried’s death as an accident during a hunt the following day. They join in a passionate trio vowing death to Siegfried.

Act III

The Rhine maidens call for the champion who will return their gold. Siegfried, having lost track of the bear he was hunting, comes upon them, and they ask for the Ring in return for showing him the right way. When he protests that his wife would scold him for making such a foolish bargain, they tease him about being henpecked. The maidens then warn him of the evil consequences should he keep the Ring. Siegfried replies that he could have been coaxed to give up the Ring by such lusty maidens, if he wasn’t married to Gutrune, but he will turn a deaf ear to their warnings.

As they leave with more dire warnings, Hagen’s horn sounds and Siegfried rejoins the hunting party. He apologizes for not bringing any bounty to the hunt, and joins in a round of drinking and storytelling. Hagen persuades Seigfried to recount his youthful adventures. Urged by the party to continue the story, he accepts a drink from Hagen, mixed with a potion to restore his memory. As this tale progresses toward his penetrating the fire to reach Brünnhilde, he becomes more and more enthralled when he tells of waking Brünnhild with a kiss. Hagen distracts Siegfried by pointing at some ravens. Siegfried turns to look, and Hagen plunges his spear into Siegfried’s back. To the dismay of Gunther and the others, Hagen announces that he has avenged the perjury, and leaves. Siegfried rises one last time to declare his love for Brünnhilde and falls dead. The vassals bear his body solemnly back to the palace.

Gutrune is anxiously awaiting Siegfried’s return when Hagen arrives to announce that her hero has been killed by a wild boar. Not believing this, she accuses Gunther, who in turn blames Hagen. Hagen defiantly confesses the murder and claims that the Ring on Siegfried’s hand is his. Gunther challenges him, and in the ensuing battle is killed. Hagen advances toward Siegfried’s body to take the Ring, but falls back in fright when the dead man’s arm rises menacingly.

Brünnhilde comes in and rebukes them all for failing to honor the memory of Siegfried. Never has a man been so faithful to his oaths, and never has a man betrayed his love so profoundly. She orders the retainers to build a large funeral pyre for Siegfried. Addressing Wotan, she declares that Siegfried died to absolve the world of the curse brought on by the god, and that she will return the Ring to its rightful owners. She puts the Ring on her finger, calls on Loge to kindle the fire about Valhalla, and throws a torch on the pyre, which begins to burn brightly. Mounting Grane, she rides into the pyre and is consumed along with the palace.

The Rhine overflows its banks, and the Rhine maidens have recaptured the Ring. Hagen rushes in, ordering them away from the Ring, but they pull him under the water. The fire can be seen mounting to Valhalla. The castle burns quickly as Hagen drowns.