Composer Notes

Photo of piano keyboard and pianist's hands by Gabriel Gurrola on Unsplash

History, analysis and commentary about western classical music

Introduction to Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen [The Ring of the Nibelung]

Index of Acts and Scenes

Das Rheingold [The Rhine Gold]

Scene 1

  • Rhine Maidens: Woglinde, Wellgunde, Flosshilde
  • Nibelung: Alberich

Scene 2

  • Gods: Wotan, Fricka, Freia, Donner, Froh, Loge
  • Giants: Fasolt, Fafner

Scene 3

  • Nibelungs: Alberich, Mime
  • Gods: Wotan, Loge

Scene 4

  • Gods: Wotan, Fricka, Freia, Donner, Froh, Loge
  • Nibelung: Alberich
  • Giants: Fasolt, Fafner
  • Rhine Maidens: Woglinde, Wellgunde, Flosshilde

Arthur Rackham illustration for The Rhine Gold
Arthur Rackham - The Rhine Gold

Die Walküre [The Valkyries]

Act 1

Scene 1

  • Siegmund, Sieglinde

Scene 2

  • Siegmund, Sieglinde, Hunding

Scene 3

  • Siegmund, Sieglinde

Act 2

Scene 1

  • Wotan, Brünnhidle, Fricka

Scene 2

  • Wotan, Brünnhilde

Scene 3

  • Siegmund, Sieglinde

Scene 2

  • Siegmund, Brünnhilde

Scene 3

  • Wotan, Hunding, Brünnhilde, Siegmund, Sieglinde

Act 3

Scene 1

  • Brünnhilde, Sieglinde, Eight Valkyries

Scene 2

  • Wotan, Brünnhilde, Eight Valkyries

Scene 3

  • Wotan, Brünnhilde

Arthur Rackham illustration for The Valkyries
Arthur Rackham - The Valkyries

Siegfried

Act 1

Scene 1

  • Mime, Siegfried

Scene 2

  • Mime, The Wanderer

Scene 3

  • Mime, Siegfried

Act 2

Scene 1

  • Alberich, The Wanderer, Fafner

Scene 2

  • Siegfried, Mime, Fafner, Forest Bird

Scene 3

  • Mime, Alberich, Siegfried, Forest Bird

Act 3

Scene 1

  • The Wanderer, Erda

Scene 2

  • The Wanderer, Siegfried

Scene 3

  • Siegfried, Brünnhilde

Arthur Rackham illustration for Siegfried
Arthur Rackham - Siegfried

Götterdämmerung [Twilight of the Gods]

Prologue

  • Three Norns, Siegfried, Brünnhilde

Act 1

Scene 1

  • Gunther, Hagen, Gutrune

Scene 2

  • Siegfried, Gunther, Hagen, Gutrune

Scene 3

  • Brünnhilde, Waltraute, Siegfried

Act 2

Scene 1

  • Alberich, Hagen

Scene 2

  • Siegfried, Hagen, Gutrune

Scene 3

  • Hagen, Vassals

Scene 4

  • Siegfried, Gunther, Brünnhilde, Hagen, Gutrune, Vassals, Ladies

Scene 5

  • Brünnhilde, Hagen, Gunther

Act 3

Scene 1

  • Siegfried, Three Rhine Maidens

Scene 2

  • Siegfried, Hagen, Gunther, Vassals

Scene 3

  • Gunther, Gutrune, Hagen, Brünnhilde, Vassals, Ladies

Arthur Rackham illustration for Twilight of the Gods
Arthur Rackham - Twilight of the Gods
The Ring Home