The Twilight of the gods (opera)

the Twilight of the gods (in German Götterdämmerung ) is the fourth of four opera S who constitute the Ring of Nibelung by Richard Wagner. The first was given to Bayreuth on August 17th, 1876.

The title is a translation via the German of the Vieux norrois Ragnarökr , which in the Scandinavian Mythologie refers to an ultimate war between gods and giants, which according to mythology germano-Scandinavian is creation, unfolding and the end of the world.

Characters

Siegfried , human, wire of Siegmund and Sieglinde (Tenor)
Brünnhilde , human, girl of Wotan and Erda (Soprano)
Hagen , human, wire of Alberich, half-brother of Gunther and Gutrune (low)
Gunther , human, brother of Gutrune, half-brother of Hagen (Baritone)
Gutrune , human, sister of Gunter, half-sister of Hagen (Soprano)
Alberich , Nibelung, brother of MIME, (Baritone)
Waltraute , Valkyrie (Mezzo-soprano)
Woglinde , girl of the Rhine (soprano)
Welgunde , girl of the Rhine (mezzo-soprano)
Flosshilde , girl of the Rhine (Contralto)
First Norne , elder (contralto) the
Second Norne , puînée (mezzo-soprano) the
Third Norne , the junior (Soprano)
Vassal and women

Argument

Prolog

The three Nornes, girls of Erda, gather close to the rock of the Walkyrie Brünnhilde, braiding the cord of the destiny. They sing the past and the present, but also the future when Wotan sets fire to the Walhalla to announce the end to the gods. Without notice their cord breaks. Deploring the loss to know to them, the nornes disappear.

At daybreak, Siegfried and Brünnhilde appear since their cave. It sends it towards new adventures, recalling him to keep their love with the spirit. Like a pledge of fidelity, Siegfried gives him the Ring which it took of the treasure of Fafner. Carrying the shield of Brünnhilde and assembling its destrier Grane, Siegfried moves away.

Act I

In the palate of Gibichungen (descendants of king Gibich), Gunther, king of Burgondes and its sister Gutrune sat in company of their half-brother Hagen who wonders which couple could agree to them. There advises in Gunther to choose Brünnhilde, except that it is only one man on ground able to cross the circle of fire which protects it, Siegfried, which could be the husband of Gutrune. He indicates that he can use potions to obtain these unions.

Siegfried arrives at the palate seeking to meet Gunther. This one accommodates it. He declares his attachment for Brünnhilde. Gutrune offers the philter of lapse of memory to him. He succumbs to his charms and offers to obtain a woman for Gunther. They swear a reciprocal attachment and leave for the rock Brünnhilde.

However, Brünnhilde is visited by his/her sister the Waltraute Valkyrie who reports to him how Wotan returned from one of its forwardings with its broken lance. It made cut down the Ash which supports the universe and made some pile up the pieces around Walhalla. Always quiet, it was withdrawn in its manor, refuses the apples which Freia makes mature and sends its corbels as spies, awaiting the end of the world. Waltraute beseeches Brünnhilde to return the Ring to the Girls of the Rhine. But Brünnhilde refuses to return this gift of love of Siegfried, and Waltraude flies away disappointed.

Siegfried arrives under the appearance of Gunther thanks to Tarnhelm, the magic heaume, and requires Brünnhilde like wife. Although it resists violently, Siegfried the force and takes the Ring to him.

Act II

Hagen, which waits on the edges of the Rhine, falls asleep. In his dream, his/her Alberich father appears and makes him swear to recover the Ring.

Siegfried and Brünnhilde arrive at the palate. Siegfried took again its appearance and Brünnhilde is amazed to see that it carries the Ring. It understands that it is Siegfried which came to take it for the account of Gunther, shows some and puts themselves to hate it. When Hagen proposes to him to kill it, it reveals that its only vulnerability is its back because he would never flee in front of any adversary. One will make accept Gutrune which the murder is an accident.

Act III

A wild valley close to the Rhine. The ondines dance at the bottom of the river, they beg the sun to send the valiant knight to them who will return gold to them. They hear the ringing of the horn of Siegfried; the hero lost his companions of hunting. They ask him the Ring and the curse recalls him which is attached there: they even predict death for this day to him, if it does not return the treasure; but he refuses on a tone mocker. They declare that its heir, a lady, will be more equitable.

Siegfried joined the hunters, of which Gunther and Hagen. While they rest, he speaks to them about the adventures of his youth. Hagen gives him a philter which returns the memory to him, and he tells them that he found Brünnhilde deadened and awoke it of a kiss. Suddenly two corbels fly away of a bush and while Siegfried looks at them, Hagen strikes it in the back with a lance. The others assist with horror while Hagen leaves in wood. Siegfried dies, languishing with the memory of Brünnhilde. Its body is carried in a funeral procession.

In the palate of Gibichungen, Gutrune is worried and anxious: it made bad dreams and the sarcastic laughter of Brünnhilde awoke it. Its presentiments are carried out. Hagen announces to him the death of Siegfried, killed by a wild boar. But Gutrune guesses the truth and Hagen acknowledges full with pride which he avenged the perjury; according to the crowned right of the spoils, it requires the Ring of Siegfried. Gunther wants to intervene, but Hagen kills it. Now, he wants to seize Ring, but moves back terrified, because the hands of late rise menaçantes. Brünnhilde appears and, as a partner of the late hero, she announces with pride that its revenge is close. Gutrune understands that its philter malefic made forget in Siegfried its marriage. On order of Brünnhilde, the companions of Gunther build one to rough-hew gigantic: they deposit the corpse of Siegfried there; others bring the horse of the late one. The woman speaks in praise of the faithful and intrepid hero, then takes the Ring and slips it with its finger: can fire purify it its fault. It tears off the torch with the hands of one of the assistants and launches it on roughing-hew it. With the corbels of Wotan, she orders to announce to the gods who fine is close for them, and, on the back of Grane, she jumps in the blazing inferno. Suddenly, the river leaves its bed and approach roughing-hew. The ondines seize the Ring; Hagen, which wants to it to be opposed, is pulled by them. The fire of Walhalla lights the sky: it is the twilight of the gods.

Homonymy

the Twilight of the gods (1884) is also the title of a novel of the declining writer Élémir Bourges, large admiror of Wagner.

Ludwig, the twilight of the gods is also the French title of a film of Luchino Visconti of 1972, not to confuse with Götterdämmerung , title original of another film of Visconti: Damnés (1969). None of these two films is a direct adaptation of the work of Wagner, although their title is inspired some.

It is also that of the third novel of the series youth to success Amos Daragon by the Québécois author Bryan Perro.

Simple: Götterdämmerung

Random links: