Das Rheingold
Lust, power, betrayall, revenge. A range of emotions that most of us has experienced and it is what lies at the heart of Wagner's "Der Ring Des Nibelungen" (affectionately referred to by most as simply "The Ring"). However we've all seen one story or another which emphasizes similar experiences, so what makes this opera which was first performed in August 1876 so compelling?
One could say that simply attending the "The Ring" is a feat unto itself, a badge of honour. It is unlike any other opera, a four-day event designed to be performed within a week, each day lasting an average of four hours. But perhaps it is more than that. As the complex story unfolds the characters wrestle intensely with their emotions and each other in combination with Wagner's compelling music score. You cannot help but watch the dramatic tale without making comparisons to real life.
It is such comparisons that compels scholars and devotees of this opera to discuss the various implications behind characters such as Wotan, Loge, Brünnhilde, Froh and Siegmund.
Photo: Gordon Hawkins (Donner) and Jason Collins (Froh) - © Rozarii Lynch photo
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