The Complete Opera Book Part 20

The curtain lifts on a thick forest. At the back is the entrance to _Fafner's_ cave, the lower part of which is hidden by rising ground in the middle of the stage, which slopes down toward the back. In the darkness the outlines of a figure are dimly discerned. It is the Nibelung _Alberich_, haunting the domain which hides the treasures of which he was despoiled. From the forest comes a gust of wind. A bluish light gleams from the same direction. _Wotan_, still in the guise of a Wanderer, enters.

The ensuing scene between _Alberich_ and the _Wanderer_ is, from a dramatic point of view, episodical. Suffice it to say that the fine self-poise of _Wotan_ and the maliciously restless character of _Alberich_ are superbly contrasted. When _Wotan_ has departed the Nibelung slips into a rocky crevice, where he remains hidden when _Siegfried_ and _Mime_ enter. _Mime_ endeavours to awaken dread in _Siegfried's_ heart by describing _Fafner's_ terrible form and powers.

But _Siegfried's_ courage is not weakened. On the contrary, with heroic impetuosity, he asks to be at once confronted with _Fafner_.

_Mime_, well knowing that _Fafner_ will soon awaken and issue from his cave to meet _Siegfried_ in mortal combat, lingers on in the hope that both may fall, until the young Walsung drives him away.

Now begins a beautiful lyric episode. _Siegfried_ reclines under a linden-tree, and looks up through the branches. The rustling of the trees is heard. Over the tremulous whispers of the orchestra--known from concert programs as the "Waldweben" (forest-weaving)--rises a lovely variant of the Walsung Motive. _Siegfried_ is asking himself how his mother may have looked, and this variant of the theme which was first heard in "The Valkyr," when _Sieglinde_ told _Siegmund_ that her home was the home of woe, rises like a memory of her image.

Serenely the sweet strains of the Love-Life Motive soothe his sad thoughts. _Siegfried_, once more entranced by forest sounds, listens intently. Birds' voices greet him. A little feathery songster, whose notes mingle with the rustling leaves of the linden-tree, especially charms him.

The forest voices--the humming of insects, the piping of the birds, the amorous quiver of the branches--quicken his half-defined aspirations. Can the little singer explain his longing? He listens, but cannot catch the meaning of the song. Perhaps, if he can imitate it he may understand it. Springing to a stream hard by, he cuts a reed with his sword and quickly fashions a pipe from it. He blows on it, but it sounds shrill. He listens again to the birds. He may not be able to imitate his song on the reed, but on his silver horn he can wind a woodland tune. Putting the horn to his lips he makes the forest ring with its notes:

[Music]

The notes of the horn have awakened _Fafner_ who now, in the guise of a huge serpent or dragon, crawls toward _Siegfried_. Perhaps the less said about the combat between _Siegfried_ and _Fafner_ the better.

This scene, which seems very spirited in the libretto, is ridiculous on the stage. To make it effective it should be carried out very far back--best of all out of sight--so that the magnificent music will not be marred by the sight of an impossible monster. The music is highly dramatic. The exultant force of the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless, which rings out as _Siegfried_ rushes upon _Fafner_, the crashing chord as the serpent roars when _Siegfried_ buries the sword in its heart, the rearing, plunging music as the monster rears and plunges with agony--these are some of the most graphic features of the score.

_Siegfried_ raises his fingers to his lips and licks the blood from them. Immediately after the blood has touched his lips he seems to understand the bird, which has again begun its song, while the forest voices once more weave their tremulous melody. The bird tells _Siegfried_ of the ring and helmet and of the other treasures in _Fafner's_ cave, and _Siegfried_ enters it in quest of them. With his disappearance the forest-weaving suddenly changes to the harsh, scolding notes heard in the beginning of the Nibelheim scene in "The Rhinegold." _Mime_ slinks in and timidly looks about him to make sure of Fafner's death. At the same time _Alberich_ issues forth from the crevice in which he was concealed. This scene, in which the two Nibelungs berate each other, is capitally treated, and its humour affords a striking contrast to the preceding scenes.

As _Siegfried_ comes out of the cave and brings the ring and helmet from darkness to the light of day, there are heard the Ring Motive, the Motive of the Rhinedaughters' Shout of Triumph, and the Rhinegold Motive. The forest-weaving again begins, and the birds bid the young Walsung beware of _Mime_. The dwarf now approaches _Siegfried_ with repulsive sycophancy. But under a smiling face lurks a plotting heart.

_Siegfried_ is enabled through the supernatural gifts with which he has become endowed to fathom the purpose of the dwarf, who unconsciously discloses his scheme to poison _Siegfried_. The young Walsung slays _Mime_, who, as he dies, hears _Alberich's_ mocking laugh. Though the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless predominates at this point, we also hear the Nibelung Motive and the Motive of the Curse--indicating _Alberich's_ evil intent toward _Siegfried_.

_Siegfried_ again reclines under the linden. His soul is tremulous with an undefined longing. As he gazes in almost painful emotion up to the branches and asks if the bird can tell him where he can find a friend, his being seems stirred by awakening pa.s.sion.

The music quickens with an impetuous phrase, which seems to define the first joyous thrill of pa.s.sion in the youthful hero. It is the Motive of =Love's Joy=:

[Music]

It is interrupted by a beautiful variant of the Motive of Love-Life, which continues until above the forest-weaving the bird again thrills him with its tale of a glorious maid who has so long slumbered upon the fire-guarded rock. With the Motive of Love's joy coursing through the orchestra, _Siegfried_ bids the feathery songster continue, and, finally, to guide him to _Brunnhilde_. In answer, the bird flutters from the linden branch, hovers over _Siegfried_, and hesitatingly flies before him until it takes a definite course toward the background. _Siegfried_ follows the little singer, the Motive of Love's joy, succeeded by that of Siegfried the Fearless, bringing the act to a close.

Act III. The third act opens with a stormy introduction in which the Motive of the Ride of the Valkyrs accompanies the Motive of the G.o.ds'

Stress, the Compact, and the Erda motives. The introduction reaches its climax with the =Motive of the Dusk of the G.o.ds=:

[Music]

Then to the sombre, questioning phrase of the Motive of Fate, the action begins to disclose the significance of this _Vorspiel_. A wild region at the foot of a rocky mountain is seen. It is night. A fierce storm rages. In dire distress and fearful that through _Siegfried_ and _Brunnhilde_ the rulership of the world may pa.s.s from the G.o.ds to the human race, _Wotan_ summons _Erda_ from her subterranean dwelling. But _Erda_ has no counsel for the storm-driven, conscience-stricken G.o.d.

The scene reaches its climax in _Wotan's_ n.o.ble renunciation of the empire of the world. Weary of strife, weary of struggling against the decree of fate, he renounces his sway. Let the era of human love supplant this dynasty, sweeping away the G.o.ds and the Nibelungs in its mighty current. It is the last defiance of all-conquering fate by the ruler of a mighty race. After a powerful struggle against irresistible forces, _Wotan_ comprehends that the twilight of the G.o.ds will be the dawn of a more glorious epoch. A phrase of great dignity gives force to _Wotan's_ utterances. It is the =Motive of the World's Heritage=:

[Music]

_Siegfried_ enters, guided to the spot by the bird; _Wotan_ checks his progress with the same spear which shivered _Siegmund's_ sword.

_Siegfried_ must fight his way to _Brunnhilde_. With a mighty blow the young Walsung shatters the spear and _Wotan_ disappears 'mid the crash of the Motive of Compact--for the spear with which it was the chief G.o.d's duty to enforce compacts is shattered. Meanwhile the gleam of fire has become noticeable. Fiery clouds float down from the mountain.

_Siegfried_ stands at the rim of the magic circle. Winding his horn he plunges into the seething flames. Around the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless and the Siegfried Motive flash the Magic Fire and Loge motives.

The flames, having flashed forth with dazzling brilliancy, gradually pale before the red glow of dawn till a rosy mist envelops the scene.

When it rises, the rock and _Brunnhilde_ in deep slumber under the fir-tree, as in the finale of "The Valkyr," are seen. _Siegfried_ appears on the height in the background. As he gazes upon the scene there are heard the Fate and Slumber motives and then the orchestra weaves a lovely variant of the Freia Motive. This is followed by the softly caressing strains of the Fricka Motive. _Fricka_ sought to make _Wotan_ faithful to her by bonds of love, and hence the Fricka Motive in this scene does not reflect her personality, but rather the awakening of the love which is to thrill _Siegfried_ when he has beheld _Brunnhilde's_ features. As he sees _Brunnhilde's_ charger slumbering in the grove we hear the Motive of the Valkyr's Ride, and when his gaze is attracted by the sheen of _Brunnhilde's_ armour, the theme of Wotan's Farewell. Approaching the armed slumberer under the fir-tree, _Siegfried_ raises the shield and discloses the figure of the sleeper, the face being almost hidden by the helmet.

Carefully he loosens the helmet. As he takes it off _Brunnhilde's_ face is disclosed and her long curls flow down over her bosom.

_Siegfried_ gazes upon her enraptured. Drawing his sword he cuts the rings of mail on both sides, gently lifts off the corselet and greaves, and _Brunnhilde_, in soft female drapery, lies before him. He starts back in wonder. Notes of impa.s.sioned import--the Motive of Love's Joy--express the feelings that well up from his heart as for the first time he beholds a woman. The fearless hero is infused with fear by a slumbering woman. The Walsung Motive, afterwards beautifully varied with the Motive of Love's Joy, accompanies his utterances, the climax of his emotional excitement being expressed in a majestic crescendo of the Freia Motive. A sudden feeling of awe gives him at least the outward appearance of calmness. With the Motive of Fate he faces his destiny; and then, while the Freia Motive rises like a vision of loveliness, he sinks over _Brunnhilde_, and with closed eyes presses his lips to hers.

_Brunnhilde_ awakens. _Siegfried_ starts up. She rises, and with a n.o.ble gesture greets in majestic accents her return to the sight of earth. Strains of loftier eloquence than those of her greeting have never been composed. _Brunnhilde_ rises from her magic slumbers in the majesty of womanhood:

[Music]

With the Motive of Fate she asks who is the hero who has awakened her.

The superb Siegfried Motive gives back the proud answer. In rapturous phrases they greet one another. It is the =Motive of Love's Greeting=,

[Music]

which unites their voices in impa.s.sioned accents until, as if this motive no longer sufficed to express their ecstasy, it is followed by the =Motive of Love's Pa.s.sion=,

[Music]

which, with the Siegfried Motive, rises and falls with the heaving of _Brunnhilde's_ bosom.

These motives course impetuously through this scene. Here and there we have others recalling former portions of the cycle--the Walsung Motive, when _Brunnhilde_ refers to _Siegfried's_ mother, _Sieglinde_; the Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading, when she tells him of her defiance of _Wotan's_ behest; a variant of the Walhalla Motive when she speaks of herself in Walhalla; and the Motive of the World's Heritage, with which _Siegfried_ claims her, this last leading over to a forceful climax of the Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading, which is followed by a lovely, tranquil episode introduced by the =Motive of Love's Peace=,

[Music]

succeeded by a motive, ardent yet tender--the =Motive of Siegfried the Protector=:

[Music]

These motives accompany the action most expressively. _Brunnhilde_ still hesitates to cast off for ever the supernatural characteristics of the Valkyr and give herself up entirely to _Siegfried_. The young hero's growing ecstasy finds expression in the Motive of Love's Joy.

At last it awakens a responsive note of purely human pa.s.sion in _Brunnhilde_ and, answering the proud Siegfried Motive with the jubilant Shout of the Valkyrs and the ecstatic measures of Love's Pa.s.sion, she proclaims herself his.

With a love duet--nothing puny and purring, but rapturous and proud--the music-drama comes to a close. _Siegfried_, a scion of the Walsung race, has won _Brunnhilde_ for his bride, and upon her finger has placed the ring fashioned of Rhinegold by _Alberich_ in the caverns of Nibelheim, the abode of the Nibelungs. Clasping her in his arms and drawing her to his breast, he has felt her splendid physical being thrill with a pa.s.sion wholly responsive to his. Will the G.o.ds be saved through them, or does the curse of _Alberich_ still rest on the ring worn by _Brunnhilde_ as a pledge of love?

GoTTERDaMMERUNG

DUSK OF THE G.o.dS

Music-drama in a prologue and three acts, words and music by Richard Wagner. Produced, Bayreuth, August 17, 1876.

New York, Metropolitan Opera House, January 25, 1888, with Lehmann (_Brunnhilde_), Seidl-Kraus (_Gutrune_), Niemann (_Siegfried_), Robinson (_Gunther_), and Fischer (_Hagen_).

Other performances at the Metropolitan Opera House have had, among others, Alvary and Jean de Reszke as _Siegfried_ and edouard de Reszke as _Hagen_.

CHARACTERS

SIEGFRIED _Tenor_ GUNTHER _Baritone_ ALBERICH _Baritone_ HAGEN _Ba.s.s_ BRuNNHILDE _Soprano_ GUTRUNE _Soprano_ WALTRAUTE _Mezzo-Soprano_ FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD NORN _Contralto, Mezzo-Soprano, and Soprano_ WOGLINDE, WELLGUNDE, AND FLOSSHILDE _Sopranos and Mezzo-Soprano_

Va.s.sals and Women.

_Time_--Legendary.

_Place_--On the Brunnhilde-Rock; Gunther's castle on the Rhine; wooded district by the Rhine.

THE PROLOGUE