DAS RHEINGOLD The action of " Das Rheingold " or " The Rhine gold " begins in the depths of the Rhine, the scene show ing the rock caverns of the river and the entire stage seeming to be filled with water.
Wotan, Donner, Froh, Loki, Fafner, giants. iants.
Alberich, a Nibelung.
Mimi, a Nibelung.
Fricka, Freya, goddesses.
Erda, Wellgunda, Woglinda, nymphs of the Rhine.
Flosshilda, Nibelungs.
Upon a peak lifting its head from the river's bed gleams the Rhinegold, while about it gracefully swim its guardians, the three beautiful Rhine maidens, Wellgunda, Woglinda and Flosshilda, daughters of the god of the river. Soon there appears an unprepossessing spectator of their joyous play, Alberich, the Prince of the Nibelungs, a race of dwarfs sprung " from the womb of night and death " who have their dwelling in the caves of the earth. He feasts with greedy eyes upon the charms of the nymphs and, growing bold, tries to pursue them through the water. Thoroughly enjoying the sport, they mock him with smiles and blandishment but always evade the clasp of their mis shapen admirer just as he thinks to catch one of them. At last, when impotent with rage from his fruitless clam bering over the slimy rocks of the river bed, his atten tion suddenly is diverted by an illumination of the waters from the glow of the Rhinegold, now lighted by the rays of the rising sun. The maidens hail their golden treasure with rapturous delight, singing as they swim about it : Rhinegold; Glittering joy! Thou laughest in radiance rare! Incautiously, they reveal the magic property of the gold, which their father has warned them a dwarf such as this will seek to wrest from their keeping. They tell Alberich that whoever shall shape a ring from the Rhine gold shall gain the kingdom of the whole world and shall possess measureless might. But to this dazzling informa tion they add the condition that he who would gain this puissance must renounce forever the joys of love. Alberich after a moment's consideration of the price, clambers up the peak, exclaims Hear me, ye floods! Love I renounce forever and, wrenching the gold from the pinnacle of rock, van ishes with it and its light to the underworld, while the Rhine maidens lament their loss in the darkness.
The gloom gradually is dissipated and instead of the river bed is seen a valley through which the Rhine is flowing. The stream is overlooked by a grassy plateau, whereon lie sleeping Wotan, king of the gods, and his consort Fricka. As they awake they turn to gaze at the stately walls of the new palace, Walhalla, which rises on a height on the opposite bank and which has been built by the giants Fafner and Fasolt to insure for Wotan the sovereignty of the world. Fricka's pride in its splendor is soon lost, however, for she remembers the fee the giants have exacted for their labor, nothing less than the beau tiful goddess Freya, keeper of the golden apples, from which sustenance the gods derive their youth and strength. Upbraided by his wife for rashly having promised such a fee, Wotan expresses a hope that with the aid of Loki, the god of fire, who, like that flickering treacherous ele ment, is a trickster, he may evade a payment which will deprive the world of its beauty, light, and sweetness. As they speak, the terror-stricken Freya rushes in, pursued by the giants. She implores Wotan to save her and sum mons to her protection her brothers, Donner and Froh, the gods of thunder and sunshine. But even their pres ence does not abash the giants, who are determined to obtain their reward.
The tense situation is relieved by the arrival of Loki, whose delay has been caused by his having wandered far throughout the world in his search for something suffi ciently alluring to take the place of Freya. He has learned of nothing save the enchanted gold whose theft the Rhine daughters have reported to him. The giants listen eagerly to the tale of Alberich's possession and of the marvelous power he is able to exert through it, not only over his own race but over all the earth. They consent to accept this gold instead of Freya, if before nightfall Wotan and Loki can obtain it for them. They depart but carry with them the shrieking goddess as an hostage. The absence of the guardian of the sacred apples makes the gods grow visibly old and gray and Wotan, observing the appalling change in everyone about him, resolves to gain posses sion of the gold, be the price what it may.