Richard Wagner - DAS RHEINGOLD - Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla (Solti, 1958)

DAS RHEINGOLD Vorabend des Bühnenfestspiels ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ Composer and librettist: Richard Wagner (1813–1883) First performance: Nationaltheater, Munich, 22 September 1869 SETTING: In and around the Rhine, mythic times PLOT: At the bottom of the river Rhine, the Nibelung dwarf Alberich steals the Rhine gold from the Rhinemaidens and, renouncing love, forges it into a ring of power. Elsewhere, Wotan (=Odin), ruler of the gods, has ordered the giants Fafner and Fasolt to build a castle. Wotan refuses to give them the price they asked: Freia, goddess of youth and beauty. The giants kidnap Freia, and will only return her in exchange for Alberich’s treasure. Without Freia’s golden apples, the gods begin to grow old. Wotan and Loge descend into Nibelheim, where Alberich has used the ring to make the other Nibelungs his slaves. They capture Alberich, and take him to their mountain top. They force Alberich to give up his treasure, including the ring, which Alberich curses. Fafner and Fasolt quarrel over the treasure, and Fafner kills Fasolt. The gods enter their new home, which Wotan names Walhall (Valhalla). The Rhinemaidens lament the loss of their gold. Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla Fafner has just slain Fasolt, to the horror of the gods. Donner (=Thor), god of thunder, summons a storm to clear the air. The clouds part to reveal a rainbow bridge spanning the Rhine. Wotan praises the majesty of Valhalla, and leads the gods across the bridge. Loge (=Loki), god of fire, hangs back; he believes the gods are hastening to their end, and considers turning himself back into fire. The Rhinemaidens ask the gods to return the gold, but Wotan orders them to be quiet. Loge tells them that they must now bask in the glory of the gods. Wotan (baritone): George London Donner (baritone): Eberhard Wächter Froh (tenor): Waldemar Kmentt Loge (tenor): Set Svanholm Fricka (mezzo-soprano): Kirsten Flagstad Freia (soprano): Claire Watson Woglinde (soprano): Oda Balsborg Wellgunde (mezzo-soprano): Hetty Plümacher Floßhilde (contralto): Ira Malaniuk Conductor: Sir Georg Solti Wiener Philharmoniker Vienna, 1958