Previous events

Wotan has asked Fafner and Fasolt to build him a palace in order to consolidate his position of power. As a reward, he has promised them his sister-in-law Freia, who guarantees eternal youth and beauty.

Scene 1

Alberich avidly approaches the three Rhinemaidens who, initially seductive, toy with him before brutally humiliating him. In the process, they unwittingly reveal to Alberich the secret of the gold they are meant to guard: only he who forsakes love can forge from the Rhine gold the ring that confers absolute power. Since he dreams of social ascension and wealth, Alberich curses love and steals the gold.

Scene 2

Mighty Wotan dreams of “endless glory”. Now that the brothers Fafner and Fasolt have finished building his palace, his wife Fricka is worried about her sister Freia. She furiously accuses her husband of sacrificing everything to his thirst for power and demands that he protect Freia. Fafner and Fasolt arrive promptly to demand their contractually agreed wages. But for the moment, Wotan merely mocks these “oafs”, so much so that they decide to take Freia by force. Donner and Froh at first manage to defend their sister, until Loge appears, whom Wotan has been expecting for some time. His dubious adviser claims to have found no substitute for Freia anywhere around the world, since nobody is willing to forsake love. Nobody except Alberich, who has stolen the gold from the Rhinemaidens and forged it into a ring of power. Fafner convinces his brother to exchange Freia for gold as payment. The brothers will hold her hostage until Wotan brings them the gold. Wotan wants both the gold and the ring. Since Freia has been kidnapped and the family is already beginning to lose its vital forces, Wotan immediately sets off with Loge to rob Alberich of the gold stolen by the latter, along with the ring.

Scene 3

To consolidate his power, Alberich has enslaved his own brother, Mime, who has had to forge a magic helmet for him. This helmet can make its owner invisible or give him any appearance he wishes. In the greatest secrecy, Alberich produces humanoids, artificial creatures resembling humans, with whose assistance he aims to dominate the world. After descending to Nibelheim, Wotan and Loge first meet Mime, who has been humiliated and from whom Loge extracts all the important information. At first, Alberich is sceptical about these unwelcome visitors; he boasts of his power and wealth, but the wily Loge manages to trap him with hypocritical flattery. He feigns disbelief to make Alberich demonstrate how the “marvel” of the magic helmet works. Thus Alberich is transformed first into a “giant dragon” and then into a toad, allowing Wotan to capture him.

Scene 4

Wotan and his strategist Loge have kidnapped Alberich. They have chained him up and are forcing him to give up not only his gold, but also the magic helmet and the ring. Humiliated, Alberich strikes back with a terrible curse before disappearing: everyone will covet the ring, but it will bring death to all who possess it. Fafner and Fasolt return with Freia to exchange her for money. Fasolt demands that the gold be piled up, using Freia as a yardstick: the gold must hide her completely. Finally, they ask Wotan to give up the ring as well. When he refuses, Erda appears. She possesses all knowledge. She warns him about the ring, as it brings misfortune. No sooner has Wotan laid it down than the curse is fulfilled: a dispute breaks out over the division of the gold, and Fafner kills his brother. The whole family then enters the new palace that Wotan has mysteriously dubbed “Walhalla”, whilst Loge already foresees their end. From afar, the Rhinemaidens lament the loss of the “pure gold”, which, on Wotan’s orders, Loge merely comments upon with cynicism.