The New York herald., 1876-08-17
lhe personiaca..on Of ds.tructve Ore he is The evil


Serch the ruler Nibelungen who dwell in the
mythical realm OF Ms.lsnd h. is the original pos
pessor OF the treasures OF the Nibeungen which S,eg
kied Pained. We havo think OF the Nibe ungs as
dwarfs who deve IN the bowels OF the earth gain
The mineral treasures from which tho hoard is com
posed According to the legend the earth dwars be-
came lustfu for gold, and delivered the gods only
small portion, conceang the rest III caves and clef,s
The dwarf Aberlch had concealed The amount
Of treasure. He was able to take different forms,
and possessed magic ring on which he laid fearful
curse when Lok robbed him OF it, The Wakures, nne OF
whom appear IN the drama and of wnom Brunn-
hilda Is the hrst aud avorte, Odn's daughters,
his wish daughters, whose duty is 10 carry out tho
Alfathevs wish, to go 10 the battle fields select the
fallen and bring them to WahaIla, where they give
them to drink from the ''horn of youth" and bring
them again 10 life. The Walkures wear helmets armor
and shields and carry spears They usually ride nine
together They guido tho tate OF the heroes in battle
The Norus are the apponters OF fate In general, and
with the Rhine daughters belong to the elementary
pcrsonifcatons winch Wagner introduces IN his
drama, and which are not subject to the VIII OF the
gods
THE GERMAN OLYMPUS
1t would lead too Tar treat OF the Scandinavian
sources from which Wagner has gathered the nspira-
tion for his gigantic musical dramatic structure. The
tcomposor has, in fact, created from the materials
found the Scandinavian legends wondous picture
of the primitive Teutonic OF their divnes, AID
since he has embodied the principal characteristics OF
easily omit any deep researches into the nature and
sgnincance of the grand figures he has called 10 lie
The ancient gods represented IN the minus OF the
primitive Germans embodiment OF the changes of
nature the constant struggle between Light aud Dark
ness. Kura and Panou, Hellenes and Iroans,
Walsungs and Nibelungs but other bames Tor the
nights of Light and Darkness. The design OF Wagner,
therefore has been in part to renew the heroic radi
tons of the Germans and to group them about the per-
son OF Segfried and the mythology of the Gcrmanic
THE SYMBOLISM OF THE DRAMA
But Wagner has a teaching to impart from this
ratve which viii be made clear as we proceed, The
bond that binds the gods, heroes and men is the
"Rng, was originally fashioned from the Nbelungen
hoard. q ring OF gold, 10 which nearly all legends
attach in the TACT Of possessing 1t is gold that
gods; it is tho same gold transmitted to heroes and
men which brought murder and strife among them.
The golden age according TO Wagner possessed neither
gold nor treasure nor terrestrial power; but with
tho grasping after the "Ripg" the symboical
source Of power-the development Of the human Ego
came not only the events leading TO the G0tterddm-
merung, that is the twilight the decay the end OF the
ancient gods but man too, the erasping after wealth
and power, has called down upon himself the
Client curse that the legend tells US attached
"Rhe'Dgold by Alber1ch The Rhein gold is guarded
by tho Khcin da oi the amentary
powers The boun dless power when the gold lends to
the posscssor can only be excred by those who arc
cold to human love. Aberich. the dwart Knowing
the properties OF the gold. renounces love Tor un'
bounded power He forges all-poweriul weapons, and
would become almighty in the world. but he has
robbed the gold, and right and justice are still MAN.
taned by Wotans spear But the supreme god, in order
to secure his power and from pardonable vanity.
grand burg home OF the gods, the prce OF which
the giant builders is Frcia the goddess OF eternal
youth But the giants hear of the great golden treas
nrc of the Nbcunes, and renounce all participation
human love ior the possession OF unlimited power
0dn IS forced to give them tho ring the symbocal
of power instead of returning it to its original
posscssor Had he done so the existence of his ght
would secured He ransoms FreIa and
her gift OF eternal youth by himself robbng the Rhine
daughters OF their treasure, not restoring it To
them when in his possession, and thus he places into
the hands of his foes power which is used TO bring
nbout his fall. Odin has siuLcd in spirit, there
tore, much Aberich and the curse must fall upon
him as upon the dwarf He, too, has re-
nounccd love, though but for moment, and though
no has built himself burg for his safely the end
must come. and the Feuriswof approaches TO
idea Wotan is not an a.mighty aa-supi eme Jehovah,
hut nature gifted above Others, wno nevertheless, Is
under the influence OF the elementary powers, subject
t. the weaknesses of human beings. 10 MAINTAIN his
position he has to carry constant conflict with
Ihe hostile powers the dwarfs md the giants. with
whom the earth is peopled II is a curious idea tnat
runs through ali scandinavian mythology that
the graspng alter gold first brought discord
runs o. the ancient divine ediice which falls from the
curse Wagner allows mower, erander era to loiow,
which shall rest on the eternal foundation oil love-
This Brunnh.de's legacy to the world as she mounts
the pyre with Segfrieds corpse. The ring IS given
back to the Rhine, and in the Carlstan idea becomes
incorporated in the more glorious symbolism OF the
THE FIRST PERFORMANCE OF RHEiSGoLp.
Exactly at lve O'Clock Wagner gave the signal for
the commencement. The opera begins with an ex-
ceedngly brief overture; yet indeed the entire work.
tho "RheIneold," must be considered as IN part an
overture, with scenery, since gwen intro
duction TO enable us to understand the following mu
steal dramas OF "The Wa'kure. F" 'Sicgried" and the
'Goeti ierdaemmeru, GA solemn undertone that
seems come up from The depths OF the Rhine, fol-
lowed by wavy movement from the vioonccllos that
resembles the gurgling and murmurng waves OF IA
river gradually increasing intensity. The
curtain rises slowly AM no'seiessy and dis
plays @ scene OF peculiar wagnsr'an oo cha,ae ned
Of the Rhno, mass of beautiful, rest
less waters that aows amid rocks and cliffs, and
the trees that find thor nourishmcnt in the
rivers bed; while below. the bed OF the Rhine, the
lower half Of the stage represents the ROCKS and srou
%noys m and the rock aa the
o the rivers bed and suddenly three water nymphs.
the Daughters OF the Rhine, come upon the scene and
swim in graceful movements around the rock, singing
10 each other they circle about It. They are crea
OF great beauty, with abundance OF long ligut
hair and dresses OF the most delicate hues which
change with the color OF the through which they
float. The names OF these fair daughters of the PRINT
tive legendary era are woglnde Miss Liili Lehman
OF Berlin, faIrcst aud most charming OF Grrmany's
slngcrs), Weligunde MISS Marie chmann oil Cologne.
the formers sister gifted with voice OF equal beauty
mud strength to that of her sister and Flossldc Miss
Mlanio Lammert, OF Berlin) And The Rhine daughters
sing each other they SWIM about the rock play
ing and teasing each other, almost iorgetu OF the
rich treasure
TIKI 'RUErYGoLp.n
cump OF gold that glimmers IN the cleft on the sum-
mil OF the rock Suddenly the gentle wavy music Of
expression, and Flosshilde swims down suddenly to
her SISTERS and reproaches them Tor playing hsieaf oil
guarding we'll SHE sleeping gold 1t is the Aibcrich
motive We hear in the orchestra, ana looking
ht the lowest depths OF the Rhines Underground
dark hairy form endeavoring TO climb the slippery
intricate cetts up to the Rhne's bed above nim.
hlberch il is the Nbelung the master and ruler Of the
ncbu0us oil Nloeiheim, the king OF tue uWarIs
and gnomes who burrow the bowels oil the earh and
gather its mineral treasures from which they fashion
Armor and swords and ornaments and jewels. He ad-
dresses the nymphs, and begs them 10 incline their ear
gracously 10 his wooinr; and the Rhine daughters in
their playful intercourse, and thinking to tease him,
bcckon him to come up to them. Aber.ch endcavors
climb mp the slippery rocks he coughs and sneezes,
and, after repeatedly slipping down, curses The
''sLoPPy, SLIPPERY. SHINY PATHS
But finally he reaches the bed the Rhine and then
begins wiliul play OF the Rhine daughters, whom
Alberich cndeavors TO grasp, but they eudc him aud
swim hither ana thithef. floating up to the sur
face, descending gracefully TO the depths leasing
tbeir ugly woocr, all the while singing IN graceful
1ythmical measure. This Is
ALBERicHs DESCRIPTION
as Flosshide sings mockiney To HIM THY penetrat-
Ing eye, thy brisy beard. D. could see them and have
them forever; thy pricsiy har thy sin HAIR,
could Flosshilda ever caress them; thy toadiSc form,
thy cracked hoarse voice, o, could hear them and
see them, admire them for evcr!" The mc!odi-
phrase. with. which Flosshiidc leases