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- Wagner, Richard
Duration: 19 minutes
Description: The fourth and final opera of Richard Wagner’s (1813-1883) DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (THE RING OF THE NIBELUNG, or THE RING CYCLE for short), the three-act drama GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG (TWILIGHT OF THE GODS) premiered at the Bayreuth Festival on August 17th, 1876 with Hans Richter conducting the first performance of the entire cycle. The opera concludes the monumental saga of gods, heroes, and the cursed ring with the “Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene and Finale”. In this climactic scene, Brünnhilde, realizing the full truth of Siegfried’s betrayal and the destructive power of the ring, sacrifices herself on his funeral pyre, restoring the natural order and bringing about the downfall of the gods. Musically, Wagner unites the vast tapestry of leitmotifs heard throughout the cycle into a sweeping culmination of tragic grandeur and spiritual renewal. The orchestra alone carries the final moments, as the Rhine overflows, Valhalla burns, and the cycle ends in a vision of cleansing and rebirth. Today, the “Immolation Scene and Finale” stand as the crowning achievement of Wagner’s epic vision. Instrumentation: 3+Picc.3+EH.3+BCl.3: 8(5-6 dTWagTba.7-8 dBWagTba).3+BTpt.3+CBTbn.1: 2Timp.Perc(3): 6Hps-2 real pts. Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Solo Sop. Reprint edition with the addition of rehearsal numbers to the score to match the parts. 11×14 oversized score also available separately.