Stolen gold, a curse and gods prepared to do anything to keep their power. In Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), Richard Wagner introduces the world of The Ring of the Nibelung, his four-opera cycle inspired by Germanic mythology. The story begins when Alberich, one of the Nibelungs, renounces love in order to seize a treasure that promises power over the world. His actions set in motion a chain of deception and conflict involving gods, giants and other mythical beings.
The Gran Teatre del Liceu presents a new production directed by Tobias Kratzer, which draws parallels between Wagner’s world and contemporary issues such as ambition and corruption. Jonathan Nott conducts, with Nicholas Brownlee as Wotan and Martin Winkler as Alberich.
This is... good to know
The opera performance on 21 February will include live audio description.
The opera opens with 136 bars built around a single E-flat major chord.
For around four minutes, the music gradually builds, evoking the movement of the Rhine.
To evoke the dwarves at work in the forges of Nibelheim, Wagner included 18 tuned anvils of different sizes in the score. Not something you hear every day in an opera orchestra.
