The Complete Opera Book Part 21

The first scene of the prologue is a weird conference of the three grey sisters of fate--the _Norns_ who wind the skein of life. They have met on the Valkyrs' rock and their words forebode the end of the G.o.ds. At last the skein they have been winding breaks--the final catastrophe is impending.

An orchestral interlude depicts the transition from the unearthly gloom of the Norn scene to break of day, the climax being reached in a majestic burst of music as _Siegfried_ and _Brunnhilde_, he in full armour, she leading her steed by the bridle, issue forth from the rocky cavern in the background. This climax owes its eloquence to three motives--that of the Ride of the Valkyrs and two new motives, the one as lovely as the other is heroic, the =Brunnhilde Motive=,

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and the =Motive of Siegfried the Hero=:

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The Brunnhilde Motive expresses the strain of pure, tender womanhood in the nature of the former Valkyr, and proclaims her womanly ecstasy over wholly requited love. The motive of Siegfried the Hero is clearly developed from the motive of Siegfried the Fearless. Fearless youth has developed into heroic man. In this scene _Brunnhilde_ and _Siegfried_ plight their troth, and _Siegfried_ having given to _Brunnhilde_ the fatal ring and having received from her the steed Grane, which once bore her in her wild course through the storm-clouds, bids her farewell and sets forth in quest of further adventure. In this scene, one of Wagner's most beautiful creations, occur the two new motives already quoted, and a third--the =Motive of Brunnhilde's Love=.

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A strong, deep woman's nature has given herself up to love. Her pa.s.sion is as strong and deep as her nature. It is not a surface-heat pa.s.sion. It is love rising from the depths of a heroic woman's soul.

The grandeur of her ideal of _Siegfried_, her thoughts of him as a hero winning fame, her pride in his prowess, her love for one whom she deems the bravest among men, culminate in the Motive of Brunnhilde's Love.

_Siegfried_ disappears with the steed behind the rocks and _Brunnhilde_ stands upon the cliff looking down the valley after him; his horn is heard from below and _Brunnhilde_ with rapturous gesture waves him farewell. The orchestra accompanies the action with the Brunnhilde Motive, the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless, and finally with the theme of the love duet with which "Siegfried" closed.

The curtain then falls, and between the prologue and the first act an orchestral interlude describes _Siegfried's_ voyage down the Rhine to the castle of the Gibichungs where dwell _Gunther_, his sister _Gutrune_, and their half-brother _Hagen_, the son of _Alberich_.

Through _Hagen_ the curse hurled by _Alberich_ in "The Rhinegold" at all into whose possession the ring shall come, is to be worked out to the end of its fell purpose--_Siegfried_ betrayed and destroyed and the rule of the G.o.ds brought to an end by _Brunnhilde's_ expiation.

In the interlude between the prologue and the first act we first hear the brilliant Motive of Siegfried the Fearless and then the gracefully flowing Motives of the Rhine, and of the Rhinedaughters' Shout of Triumph with the Motives of the Rhinegold and Ring. _Hagen's_ malevolent plotting, of which we are soon to learn in the first act, is foreshadowed by the sombre harmonies which suddenly pervade the music.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright photo by Dupont

edouard de Reszke as Hagen in "Gotterdammerung"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright photo by Dupont

Jean de Reszke as Siegfried in "Gotterdammerung"]

Act I. On the river lies the hall of the Gibichungs, where house _Gunther_, his sister _Gutrune_, and _Hagen_, their half-brother.

_Gutrune_ is a maiden of fair mien, _Gunther_ a man of average strength and courage, _Hagen_ a sinister plotter, large of stature and sombre of visage. Long he has planned to possess himself of the ring fashioned of Rhinegold. He is aware that it was guarded by the dragon, has been taken from the h.o.a.rd by _Siegfried_, and by him given to _Brunnhilde_. And now observe the subtle craft with which he prepares to compa.s.s his plans.

A descendant, through his father, _Alberich_, the Nibelung, of a race which practised the black art, he plots to make _Siegfried_ forget _Brunnhilde_ through a love-potion to be administered to him by _Gutrune_. Then, when under the fiery influence of the potion and all forgetful of _Brunnhilde_, _Siegfried_ demands _Gutrune_ to wife, the price demanded will be that he win _Brunnhilde_ as bride for _Gunther_. Before _Siegfried_ comes in sight, before _Gunther_ and _Gutrune_ so much as even know that he is nearing the hall of the Gibichungs, _Hagen_ begins to lay the foundation for this seemingly impossible plot. For it is at this opportune moment _Gunther_ chances to address him:

"Hark, Hagen, and let your answer be true. Do I head the race of the Gibichungs with honour?"

"Aye," replies _Hagen_, "and yet, Gunther, you remain unwived while Gutrune still lacks a husband." Then he tells _Gunther_ of _Brunnhilde_--"a circle of flame surrounds the rock on which she dwells, but he who can brave that fire may win her for wife. If Siegfried does this in your stead, and brings her to you as bride, will she not be yours?" _Hagen_ craftily conceals from his half-brother and from _Gutrune_ the fact that _Siegfried_ already has won _Brunnhilde_ for himself; but having aroused in _Gunther_ the desire to possess her, he forthwith unfolds his plan and reminds _Gutrune_ of the magic love-potion which it is in her power to administer to _Siegfried_.

At the very beginning of this act the Hagen Motive is heard.

Particularly noticeable in it are the first two sharp, decisive chords. They recur with dramatic force in the third act when _Hagen_ slays _Siegfried_. The =Hagen Motive= is as follows:

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This is followed by the =Gibichung Motive=, the two motives being frequently heard in the opening scene.

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Added to these is the =Motive of the Love-Potion= which is to cause _Siegfried_ to forget _Brunnhilde_, and conceive a violent pa.s.sion for _Gutrune_.

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Whatever hesitation may have been in _Gutrune's_ mind, because of the trick which is involved in the plot, vanishes when soon afterwards _Siegfried's_ horn-call announces his approach from the river, and, as he brings his boat up to the bank, she sees this hero among men in all his youthful strength and beauty. She hastily withdraws, to carry out her part in the plot that is to bind him to her.

The three men remain to parley. _Hagen_ skilfully questions _Siegfried_ regarding his combat with the dragon. Has he taken nothing from the h.o.a.rd?

"Only a ring, which I have left in a woman's keep," answers _Siegfried_; "and this." He points to a steel network that hangs from his girdle.

"Ha," exclaims _Hagen_, "the Tarnhelmet! I recognize it as the artful work of the Nibelungs. Place it on your head and it enables you to a.s.sume any guise." He then flings open a door and on the platform of a short flight of steps that leads up to it, stands _Gutrune_, in her hand a drinking-horn which she extends toward _Siegfried_.

"Welcome, guest, to the house of the Gibichungs. A daughter of the race extends to you this greeting." And so, while _Hagen_ looks grimly on, the fair _Gutrune_ offers _Siegfried_ the draught that is to transform his whole nature. Courteously, but without regarding her with more than friendly interest, _Siegfried_ takes the horn from her hands and drains it. As if a new element coursed through his veins, there is a sudden change in his manner. Handing the horn back to her he regards her with fiery glances, she blushingly lowering her eyes and withdrawing to the inner apartment. New in this scene is the =Gutrune Motive=:

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"Gunther, your sister's name? Have you a wife?" _Siegfried_ asks excitedly.

"I have set my heart on a woman," replies _Gunther_, "but may not win her. A far-off rock, fire-encircled, is her home."

"A far-off rock, fire-encircled," repeats _Siegfried_, as if striving to remember something long forgotten; and when _Gunther_ utters _Brunnhilde's_ name, _Siegfried_ shows by his mien and gesture that it no longer signifies aught to him. The love-potion has caused him to forget her.

"I will press through the circle of flame," he exclaims. "I will seize her and bring her to you--if you will give me Gutrune for wife."

And so the unhallowed bargain is struck and sealed with the oath of blood-brotherhood, and _Siegfried_ departs with _Gunther_ to capture _Brunnhilde_ as bride for the Gibichung. The compact of blood-brotherhood is a most sacred one. _Siegfried_ and _Gunther_ each with his sword draws blood from his arm, which he allows to mingle with wine in a drinking-horn held by _Hagen_; each lays two fingers upon the horn, and then, having pledged blood-brotherhood, drinks the blood and wine. This ceremony is significantly introduced by the Motive of the Curse followed by the Motive of Compact. Phrases of _Siegfried's_ and _Gunther's_ pledge are set to a new motive whose forceful simplicity effectively expresses the idea of truth. It is the =Motive of the Vow=.

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Abruptly following _Siegfried's_ pledge:

Thus I drink thee troth,

are those two chords of the Hagen Motive which are heard again in the third act when the Nibelung has slain _Siegfried_. It should perhaps be repeated here that _Gunther_ is not aware of the union which existed between _Brunnhilde_ and _Siegfried_, _Hagen_ having concealed this from his half-brother, who believes that he will receive the Valkyr in all her G.o.ddess-like virginity.

When _Siegfried_ and _Gunther_ have departed and _Gutrune_, having sighed her farewell after her lover, has retired, _Hagen_ broods with wicked glee over the successful inauguration of his plot. During a brief orchestral interlude a drop-curtain conceals the scene which, when the curtain again rises, has changed to the Valkyr's rock, where sits _Brunnhilde_, lost in contemplation of the Ring, while the Motive of Siegfried the Protector is heard on the orchestra like a blissful memory of the love scene in "Siegfried."

Her rapturous reminiscences are interrupted by the sounds of an approaching storm and from the dark cloud there issues one of the Valkyrs, _Waltraute_, who comes to ask of _Brunnhilde_ that she cast back the ring _Siegfried_ has given her--the ring cursed by _Alberich_--into the Rhine, and thus lift the curse from the race of G.o.ds. But _Brunnhilde_ refuses:

More than Walhalla's welfare, More than the good of the G.o.ds, The ring I guard.

It is dusk. The magic fire rising from the valley throws a glow over the landscape. The notes of _Siegfried's_ horn are heard. _Brunnhilde_ joyously prepares to meet him. Suddenly she sees a stranger leap through the flames. It is _Siegfried_, but through the Tarnhelmet (the motive of which, followed by the Gunther Motive dominates the first part of the scene) he has a.s.sumed the guise of the Gibichung. In vain _Brunnhilde_ seeks to defend herself with the might which the ring imparts. She is powerless against the intruder. As he tears the ring from her finger, the Motive of the Curse resounds with tragic import, followed by trist echoes of the Motive of Siegfried the Protector and of the Brunnhilde Motive, the last being succeeded by the Tarnhelmet Motive expressive of the evil magic which has wrought this change in _Siegfried_. _Brunnhilde_, in abject recognition of her impotence, enters the cavern. Before _Siegfried_ follows her he draws his sword Nothung (Needful) and exclaims:

Now, Nothung, witness thou, that chaste my wooing is; To keep my faith with my brother, separate me from his bride.

Phrases of the pledge of Brotherhood followed by the Brunnhilde, Gutrune, and Sword motives accompany his words. The thuds of the typical Nibelung rhythm resound, and lead to the last crashing chord of this eventful act.

Act II. The ominous Motive of the Nibelung's Malevolence introduces the second act. The curtain rises upon the exterior of the hall of the Gibichungs. To the right is the open entrance to the hall, to the left the bank of the Rhine, from which rises a rocky ascent toward the background. It is night. _Hagen_, spear in hand and shield at side, leans in sleep against a pillar of the hall. Through the weird moonlight _Alberich_ appears. He urges _Hagen_ to murder _Siegfried_ and to seize the ring from his finger. After hearing _Hagen's_ oath that he will be faithful to the hate he has inherited, _Alberich_ disappears. The weirdness of the surroundings, the monotony of _Hagen's_ answers, uttered seemingly in sleep, as if, even when the Nibelung slumbered, his mind remained active, imbue this scene with mystery.

A charming orchestral interlude depicts the break of day. Its serene beauty is, however, broken in upon by the =Motive of Hagen's Wicked Glee=, which I quote, as it frequently occurs in the course of succeeding events.