The cunning dwarf Alberich, angered by the Rhinemaidens' scorn, steals the precious metal and forges a ring that gives its bearer unimaginable power. The struggle for its possession drives this fantastic drama, in which the stakes—control of the entire world—could not be higher.
Francesca Zambello's production colorfully evokes the California Gold Rush era, drawing provocative parallels between Wagner's mythical kingdom of gods and goddesses and the Industrial Revolution's entrepreneurs and tycoons. The world-class cast is headed by internationally acclaimed baritone Mark Delavan, praised by London's Financial Times for his “extraordinary power, clarity and intelligence” and hailed by San Francisco Chronicle as a “robust and commanding” Wotan.
The dwarf Alberich futilely attempts to seduce the maidens who guard the Rhine River's gold. If forged into a ring, it would give its wearer universal power, as long as he renounces love. Alberich steals the gold and fashions the ring. Meanwhile, Wotan, king of the gods, must find a way to pay for the construction of Valhalla, the immortals' opulent new home. Using trickery, he steals Alberich's ring to settle his debt. The bitter dwarf places a curse on the ring and anyone who possesses it.
Performances are sold only as a part of a 4-opera cycle. Click here to see cycle dates and schedules.
Approximate running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes with no intermission
Sung in German with English supertitles
Co-production with Washington National Opera
OperaVision, high-definition video projection screens, will be featured on the balcony level for each performance of every cycle. Learn more
