Götterdämmerung

The three Norns, daughters of the earth-goddess Erda, spin and plait the rope of fate. Siegfried gives his bride Brünnhilde the ring and then sets out on his travels.

Scene 1.

Hagen advises his half-siblings Gunther and Gutrune, rulers of the Rhine, that they must marry advantageously – ideally, Brünnhilde for Gunther and Siegfried for Gutrune. A magic potion could make Siegfried forget Brünnhilde and draw him to Gutrune. Siegfried would then take it upon himself to bring Brünnhilde to Gunther. When Siegfried arrives, Gutrune offers refreshment. Siegfried drinks the potion and immediately woos Gutrune. He and Gunther depart for the Valkyries’ rock.

Scene 2.

Waltraute brings her sister Brünnhilde news of the decline of their father Wotan, walled up in Valhalla. Waltraute begs Brünnhilde to restore the ring to the Rhinemaidens in order to free Wotan from its curse, but Brünnhilde refuses. Transformed by the power of his magic helmet, the Tarnhelm, Siegfried now resembles Gunther. He penetrates the magic fire and identifies himself as Gunther the Gibichung, Brünnhilde’s bridegroom. She expects the ring to protect her, but Siegfried seizes it. He draws his sword Nothung, so that it serves that night as a barrier between himself and Gunther's bride.

Alberich, Hagen’s father, extracts a promise that his son will move swiftly to destroy Siegfried and seize the ring.

Siegfried returns to the Gibichungs’ hall, to Gutrune's delight, now having handed over Brünnhilde to Gunther. Hagen summons Gutrune and then calls the vassals, who assemble for a wedding. Brünnhilde is aghast to discover that Siegfried does not recognize her. When she sees him wearing the ring, and when Gunther denies ever having possessed it, she denounces Siegfried, who swears that her charges are false. Once they’re alone, Brünnhilde, Hagen, and the jealous Gunther resolve to kill Siegfried. 

Scene 1.

The Rhinemaidens warn Siegfried that death awaits him if he fails to surrender the ring, but he chooses to keep it. When the rest of his hunting party rejoins him, he tells of his adventures with the Forest Bird, Fafner, the Tarnhelm, and Mime. Hagen offers Siegfried wine containing an antidote to the magic potion. His memory now restored, Siegfried tells of finding Brünnhilde and awakening her with a kiss. Ravens fly overhead, and Hagen asks what the birds are saying. As Siegfried turns to follow their flight, Hagen plunges his spear into the hero’s back. Gunther orders that Siegfried’s body be carried back to the Gibichung hall.

Scene 2.

Gutrune anxiously awaits Siegfried’s return. When the hunters bring in his body, Gutrune hears from Hagen that her husband was killed by a savage boar. Gutrune accuses Gunther and the other men of murdering Siegfried, and Gunther names Hagen as the murderer. He acknowledges the crime, and in a brief struggle, Hagen kills Gunther. When Brünnhilde suddenly appears, Gutrune accuses her of turning the men against her husband Siegfried. Brünnhilde replies that she alone has been Siegfried’s wife. She orders a funeral pyre to be built and eulogizes Siegfried. Taking the ring from his finger, she places it on her own, announcing that the Rhinemaidens may reclaim it when her death has purified it of its curse. Calling her horse, Grane, she ascends the burning pyre. The Rhine overflows its banks, bringing the return of the Rhinemaidens. When Hagen attempts to seize the ring from them, they drag him below the waves. As fire engulfs Valhalla and the gods, the world is redeemed by love.