What is Wagner’s Ring Cycle?
It took Wagner nearly 26 years to finish his Ring Cycle or 'Der Ring des Nibelungen'. This masterpiece is made up of four operas (Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung) and is inspired by characters from Norse mythology. Below are the stories to each opera that make up the cycle.
What is a leitmotif?
Most associated with the operas of Wagner, a leitmotif is a brief musical device signifying a character, location or idea, as Charlotte Smith explains
Siegfried: a guide to the third part of Wagner's Ring Cycle
We tell the story of the third opera in Wagner's magisterial Ring Cycle
Götterdämmerung by Wagner: a guide to the final part of the Ring Cycle
We tell the story of the fourth and final opera in Wagner's epic Ring Cycle
Das Rheingold: a guide to the opening opera in Wagner's epic Ring Cycle
We tell the story of the first opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle
The Valkyries / Die Walküre: a guide to the second part of Wagner's masterful Ring Cycle
We tell the story of the second and most popular opera in Wagner's epic Ring Cycle