Siegfried, by Richard Wagner

This is a less than completely reverent summary of the plot of Siegfried, the third of the four operas that comprise Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

Siegfried

The third part of the Ring Cycle takes place twenty years after the events of Die Valkyrie, or however long they give you between operas at Bayreuth if you're enjoying (or enduring) the whole cycle in one fell swoop.

At the close of Die Valkyrie, Brunnhilde was at the top of a mountain, fenced in by magic flames, and Sieglinde was in possession of Siegmund's broken sword. She has, as Brunnhilde foretold, given birth to a son, named Siegfried, who appears not to have been born with extra fingers or toes, despite his parents being brother and sister. However, Sieglinde died in childbirth, so that's one character fewer for the casting director to worry about.

Act 1. Mime's forge in the forest

Remember Mime? He's the smith who, at the command of Alberich the dwarf, made the ring that all the fuss is about, as well as an invisible cap that enables the wearer to change shape. He has been trying to make a sword for young Siegfried, who is living with Mime and being taught the smith's trade, but none of his efforts have been up to scratch.

Wotan enters and tells Mime that Siegfried will himself make a sword from the fragments of Siegmund's sword, and that it will be invincible. When Siegfried comes home he proceeds to do exactly that. He then tests it on his master's anvil which he cuts in half, which does not sound like a wise career move. All good swords in opera and legend have names, and this one is to be called "Helpneed".

Act 2. The forest in front of the dragon's cave

Another character who has skipped an opera is Fafner, the giant who possesses the Rhine-maidens' gold, the ring and the shape-shifting cap. He now guards the treasure in a cave, having assumed the form of a dragon. Outside the cave we find our old friend Alberich, who still fancies his chances of stealing the gold back again; it was he who stole it in the first place, if you recall. As with a lot of these scenes, Wotan turns up and warns him that a hero is on his way who will defeat everyone he meets.

Siegfried has been told about the dragon by Mime, but he reckons that Fafner will be a good test for his new sword. On the way, the Wood Bird has been singing warnings to him, but he does not understand what she is trying to say. He summons Fafner to a fight and duly kills him. However, a drop of the dragon's blood touches his tongue, and he finds that he can now understand the Wood Bird's warning, which was that Mime is trying to poison him. He therefore kills Mime, takes the ring, and follows the Wood Bird, who leads him towards the mountain where Brunnhilde is awaiting release by a superhero. Siegfried is now wearing the ring that gives him ultimate power and he wields an invincible sword. The lad's got it made, hasn't he?

Act 3 - A mountain pass

Erda, the earth-spirit, has warned Wotan that the gods are doomed, but he determines to do what he can to stop Siegfried. It's no contest, really. Helpneed the sword shatters Wotan's spear, the magic flames die away, and Siegfried gets his girl, although she has to exchange her immortality for the sake of his love.

However, this cannot be the end of the story – there’s still another whole opera in the pipeline!