Siegfried |
|
| |
 |
The Forest. |
|
|
Act 1
In a forest. After her flight with Brünnhilde, Sieglinde ends up in a faraway corner of the forest, where Mime lives. There she dies, giving birth to her son Siegfried. Mime raises Siegfried, with the sole purpose to use him as the need arises.
Mime fervently tries to repair the broken sword Nothung, but all his efforts are in vain. Only this sword can kill Fafner, who as a dragon guards the hoard and the Ring of power. When Siegfried grows into a youg adult he asks who his mother is. Mime responds by telling her name; Sieglinde, and shows the pieces of Nothung to prove he’s telling the truth. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Siegfried orders Mime to repair the sword and have it ready when he returns from his wanderings in the forest. From a Wanderer (Wotan), Mime learns that the sword can only be forged anew, by one who knows not the meaning of fear. Mime realises that this is Siegfried. When Siegfried returns and sees that Mime did not succeed, Siegfried decides to forge the sword himself. Meanwhile Mime concocts a toxic potion to poison Siegfried, once he has defeated the dragon. When Siegfried finishes his sword he cuts the anvil in two, with one mighty blow. But before Siegfried can abandon his hated fosterfather, he wants Mime to teach him the concept of fear. To do this, Mime will guide him to Fafner's lair.
Act 2
A dense forest with a cave in the background. In the cave, a dragon (Fafner) watches over the treasure of the Nibelungs (including the Ring). Alberich keeps guard at the cave. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Alberich is visited by the Wanderer (Wotan). He tells him that Mime will shortly arrive with a boy, who will slay the dragon. Wotan cannot intervene in the course of events and disappears. Mime arrives with Siegfried and they wait till the dragon shows himself. Siegfried lies down under a lindentree and listens to a woodbird. In an attempt to communicate with the woodbird he blows his horn. The dragon wakes up and Siegfried kills the dragon. As Siegfried draws his sword from the dead dragon, a drop of dragonblood falls on his finger. He sucks the drop of blood from his finger and discovers that he can now understand the animals. |
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The woodbird advises him to retrieve the Tarnhelm and the Ring from the dragon’s lair. When Siegfried comes from the cave with the Tarnhelm and the Ring, Mime addresses him. The woodbird tells Siegfried, that the dragonblood has also given him the ability to see the true motives of people. Mime friendly offers a drink to Siegfried, but Siegfried reads his real ideas: Mime intends to kill him after he has fallen asleep as a result of drinking the potion. Siegfried does not hesitate and kills Mime. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
Siegfried sits down under the lindentree and wonders if he is ever going to find a mate. The woodbird tells Siegfried about Brünnhilde who lies on a rock surrounded by fire, only one who knows no fear can penetrate the fire. Jubilant, Siegfried exclaims that he is the one, and without delay he follows the woodbird to Brünnhilde. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Act 3
Scene 1:
A rugged, rocky scenery at the foot of Brünnhildes rock. The Wanderer invokes Erda. She is to tell the future. Erda says he should go to their child Brünnhilde, if he wants to slow down the wheels of destiny. As Wotan tells Erda injustice and perjury rule the world, she withdraws, confused with the world. Wotan says, he no longer fears the future, because the end of the gods draws near. Wotan sees Siegfried approaching and bars the way to Brünnhilde. In the ensuing quarrel Siegfried learns that this Wanderer killed his father (Siegmund). In revenge he shatters Wotan's spear with his sword Nothung. Wotan's rule has ended, a new era is dawning.
Scene 2: |
|
| |
| |
| Siegfried ascends the mountain and passes unharmed through the fire. He sees a warrior sleeping under a tree. In his proximity stands a horse. He cuts through the armour of the warrior and for the first time, sees a woman. The sight of Brünnhilde arouses feelings within him which he mistakes for fear. Eventually Siegfried awakens Brünnhilde with a kiss. Brünnhilde slowly arouses from her deep and long (approximately 16 years = Siegfried’s age) sleep, and greets the radiant sun and her saviour. Brünnhilde tells Siegfried that she loved him since before he was born. |
|
 |
Bridal Fire. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
When Brünnhilde sees Grane, her horse, she realises that she is now a mortal woman, not a Walküre anymore. Clinging to memories of her glorious days as a Walküre she initially resists the turbulent love declaration of Siegfried. Accepting her fate she eventually surrenders herself to him. A jubilant Brünnhilde throws herself in Siegfried’s arms. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|