New-York tribune., 1876-08-18

patrons tomorrow night at which Herr Wagner
will make an address.
"THE TWILIGHT or THE GODS
In the progress of this musical drama, events have
grown out of a constant struggle between the three
races of beings who Inhabited tho earth Tor Ec pos
session of lis golden treasure Tie Daughters of the
Rhine, to whom the keeping of sold had been IN
trusted by the law of the universe had been
treachcrousy deprived of it by thc ants of Alberto
the Dwarf. Wotan had then secured the prize
through the same crafty means and, though himself
a God and CHARGED with the miuiStraion of justice,
he had not returned it TO the Daughters. rs il was
his solemn duty 10 do but had used il ~ bargaining
with a Giant for the Goddess Ireia, who had the
power to restore him to eternal youth l'ut The gold
had been cursed by Alberto and every one who
secured il thereafter suffered misfortune. fathers
hand had been turned against his son. The
same father had called up the God OF FIRE
and condemned his hcaycr-bon daughter
Brynhild. the favorite of all his children,
To depart from his presence and slumbcr on the
earth until awakened by hero the dragon fainrr
had fallen by the sword of Scgirrd; Slcgnde bad
dsd alone in a forest with not friend around her
save a ncwly-boru son; liunding had seen his home
dshonored and Mime, the ambitious Dwarf, had
fallen by the sword Distress while preparing
deadly poison for the young Sicgircd.
The last act closed with the restoration Of Brynhld
by Sicgfried to whom she became a wife. The
treasure was theirs and the joys of their honeymoon
seemed 10 promise that life and happiness wouid be
eternal But the end was not yet. deep and un-
redeemed wrong underlay their happiness. The
gold was rot theirs by any law other than The law
Of might An ovcrlanpng destiny dark ard ter
rible. awaited them. and the ecstacy of their we'd
ding hour seemed only given that thoy might the
Il rff,.fT min
mission from above had, however been III
trusted to their hands. The curse Of gold which
had BROUGHT misery to gods and to the world must
he removed ere they suffered the fate which en-
circlcd them. To them il thus given 10 usher
in a new era of peace earth and goodwill to men
Brvnhld enrapturcd with the love of Slcgirled,
commits to hIs all the knowledge She had de-
rived from her mother Erda. the All-wse Goddess
and in So doing loses il herself In return Tor TINS
manifestation of love, Siegfricd places the IIng
upon her hand as a token Of eternal love and rcmcn-
brance and departs from the cave in which they
dwell seeking for adventure on the earth lie
arrives on the banks of the Rhine at the castle "l
poverfIl family named Gibichung, where he forms
the acanaintancc of three children OF thc house,
named respectively Gunter Hagen, and Guirun, the
latter being daughter
The evil genius Of the house is Hagen the issue of
and Alberto Prince Of the Dwagi5-orgnal poSscsSor
of the Ring and author of the curse cast upon 1t.
Hagen knows the story Of Sicgfncd's life, and Is
continually urged by Alberto 20 possess himself of
the coveted treasure. But Hagen has purpose
of his own, and now has the opportunity to execute
If. His plan is briefly that Sicgfricd shall marry
Gutrun and Brynhild become the spouse of Gunter.
This will bring the Ring into the family 50 ihai IT'S
possession will then be easily acquired. There Is
something of magic and w,chcraft IN li- deneanor
and stature; he is full Of wise sayings, ana skilled
in the art of preparing magic dmuchts. The nnSnS-
pacting Sicgfr.ci drinks the potion ana becomes
affected with total foreetiulno,, OF The past Huhter
becomes his bosom friend. He has a golden helmet
/ capable of enabling its owner 10 assume at WIN
any shape hc desires. The Gbchung children plot
together. Guntcrs horn rc,ounds from over the
Rhine; he has been on a trip Of adventure; he en-
| tcrs his home and is received with great JOY.
| Guirun ASSUMES an appearance which greatly ias-
cinatc, the young Segiricd his soul is onfaptarcd
with her beauty, and he learns to love her. Gantcr
! tells the story of his adventure; of how he has met
| The beautiful Blynhild and longs to make her lis
/ wife That name has sound of music. no awaken
ing power to the memory Of Scgiricd aud Ouj OF his
generous heart he offers to aid Guntcr in his desires
The magic helmet is given him; he assumes the form
| OF Gunter, and departs from the castle.
| n scene tltU bptHo iilH'7'''''b '''' '''''
sitting upon rock surrounded BY the circle OF ire
and gazing sadly at th" Ring. She IS startled WIN
the sound of flying seeds, and one of the Walkyfcn,
her own sister, with face clOudcd with sorrow,
aupcars and tells the story of the gloom that rcgns
in Wahalla, the despair OF their father Woian, and
ppals that she viii remove the from gods and
men by restoring the Ring TO its rightlul owners.
But 10 part with the gift Of Sicglricd was the last
act she would do and TO live longer. She re-
fuses and s1uIsIs away all cntrcaies. Her sister
hurrie home in despair and SIegricd appears in the
form Of Gnntcr. Brynhild resists his advances with
m "a. aud fury bat he has the power at last to con
troll her She suiraDdcrs the Ring and leads the con-
oucror 10 her chamber, but Siegiried is true to
Gunter. and the sword Distress divides the pair.
Brynhild in her sorrow bebolds the hand Of Wotan,
aud bows 10 it III silence On the morrow they de-
part for the Gbchung Castle; Gunter and Siegirlcd
assume their natural forms; Brynhild Is wroth at
the Inconsistency of her lover and i'll the fury oil her
| rage calls down vengeance upon his head.
IL is then agreed that Siegfricd shall be slam. fc
goes ont to the forest in the morning, and at last
| finds himself on the banks Of tho Rhine. The
Daughters appear above the surface and beg him to
restore the Ring. He refuses, and they disappear
with laughter and Siegfried returns to tho