New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-04
MUSIC---THE DRAMA.
wAGNER's "RHEINGOLD.n

aRheingolds will have It's first American representa-
ton at the Metropolitan Opera House to night
Once upon timo ESQ runs ono Of the legends IN the
mythology OF the North the gods Odin. Hocnir and
Lohi went out on q tour OF inspection through the
world Near waterfall they found an otter who
bnked slecpily with hts eyes while be laziy devoured
a salmon. Loh threw stone with unerring skill
and killed the animal, whereat the thrce gods
much delighted and geefully drew Of its skin. AZ
night they took refuge tho hut Of Hredmar 10 whom
they showed the skin Of their quarry. friedman
summoned his sons. Fafnir and Regin. laid hands
on the gods and demanded ransom for that they had
killed his Otter, who had been wont 10 assume the
shape Of the animal whose name he bore In order
10 catch fish In the stream beside which they had
found -hin. Hreidmar demanded that the gods should
I'll the otter skin with gold and then cover IL com
plctely with the same precious metal
Loki, cunning and fertile Of resource, was ais
patched for the ransom. He went back 70 the water
fas and with net caught the dwarf Andvsr. who
lived there In the form Of pike. To save BIS life
Andvsr was forced to yield into the hands Of the god
all the treasures which he had concealed in a rock
under the water. including magic ring. which vainly
he tried to keep after he had parted from the
rest of his hoard because through It's power he hoped
to renew his treasure. LoH being ptless Andvar
cursed the rng which. he said. should cost tho life
Of whoever owned IT, Loh returned 10 Hreldmar's
hut and the skin Of the otter filed with gold.
then stood upon its feet and covered All the treas
OF the dwarf used In paying tho even
the ring which Odn desired To reserve for himself
but with which he had 10 a crevce through which
friedman detected single hair OF the offers beard
Loki told Of Andvari's threat. but friedman only
laughed No sooner had the gods departed. however.
than the banefu circlet began IT'S work fafnir
and Regin demanded a portion Of the treasure. but
freedman refused to share with them. In his sleep
Fafnir killed him. When Regin came TO demand his
share Fafn threatened TO kill him, TOO, and frightened
him away. Then he transformed himself into a
dragon that be might better guard the hoard only TO
be killed later by sigurd, whom Regn brought up for
that purpose.
This the story of the rape of the gold the cursng
Of the magic ring the first effect of the the Gin
Of the gods and the ransom as 10 Is told In the Efdss
and the Volsunga Saga. All Of these elements enter
into the book Of Wagners Rhengold," but there the
incidents have boon changed somewhat and the names
transliterated. Odn is Wotan; LokI. Loge; the
dwarf Andyar the Nibelung Alberich tho Otter
GID or Ottcrransom becomes a ransom demanded By
giants for the goddess Froa. How this ransom came
be due is told IN another Of the scandinavian myths
Once an artisan to the gods and offered 20
build for them fortress which would forever shield
them against the frost giants. provided they would
give him in payment Freya, the goddess OF youth and
beauty and love- besides the sun and moon. Tbs
gods agreed provided be would do the work alone and
in the space of single winter. When summer was
but three days distant the castle was so nearly
finished that the gods saw that the compact would
be kept by the strange artisan. Tho imminent loss
Of Freya frightened the gods and they threatened
Loh with death x ne did not prevent the completion
of the work within ;he period fixed. The artisan had
the help OF a horse named Svadlfan. who drew tho
most enormous stones 10 the castle at night. LON
changed himself into and the next night decoyed
the horse svadah into the forest, so that the usual
quota Of work was not done. Then the mysterious
workman appeared besere the gods in his real form
Had In wifi n
hammer The Morse Freya is the 1eutonic Freia.
In Wagners poem Freia Is the reward which tbs
giants Fafner end Fasot expect for having built WAL
halla in single night. Loh had Instigated the COM
pact and promised 20 relieve Wotan OF the obligation ot
payment But the giants carry Freia of and restore
her only after Wotan and Loge have given tie
Nlhelung's hoard in exchange. To Freia Wagner has
given an attribute which in scandinavian myth
oogy belongs TO Iduna. She IS the guardian
of the golden apples. the eating OF which
keeps the gods young. 1duna'5 apples TIE student
of comparative mythology Will at identify with
the golden apples which Hera received as wedding
Gift which were guarded by the Hesperides and stoer
by Hercules. In the Morse story they are carried
away by winged giant named Thiassl and broushs
back by Iok who had tempted Iduna out Of her
beautiful grove Always Young in order that ITO
giant might swoop down upon her and carry tho
apples awa,. Wagner gives these apples to treia iof
the sake Of dramatic effect. The gods turn wrinhed
and gray so soon the giants carry on the goddess
OF youth and beauty-the Venus Of the North.
Wagners version OF these stories makes up Rhcin-
gold, the prologue the tragedy which begins VITA
"Die Walkuerer and ends with Die Goetter-
daemmerung' It tells Of the Introduction o. the bsne-
full gold into the tragedy which Is developed by mo
struggle between gods, giants, dwars' demiS'ds ana
men for its possession. At the outset IL lies At ths
bottom Of the Rhine in its primeval purity. lS
guardians are the Rhine daughters, who, WHO III
tormenting daIliance with Alberch, gossip away tho
secret Of its power. To him who VIII weId IL iu's
a ring the gold Will give measurcless might ou'
only he can thus shape It who rnounees io'e'
AIberch curses love and selzes the gold. DARKNESS
fills the depths of the river and the merry sons' VI
the mixes are changed TO gloomy plants.
Wotan awahes from his sleep on the greens"aru
beside the Rhine w agner the home OF tho gods
from the Morse Asgard to the banks OF the 'er"~i
Rhine) and sees Walhaha ghueuhr '
mountain top beyond the nver' fs,Ner
and Fasolt demand theIr pay po ou"uihs
the castle Wotan trusting TO Loge's cunning W
fuses 70 Weld up Frea Loge had gone through No
World in search of something which would serve As
a ransom but found only one being to whom goa
and power wero esteemed higher thah "onan ~
It was Alberich. Wotan and the giants iea'" u
the power of the ring and covet It, The giants asi''
70 eive nm Fr.a for the Nibelung's hoard. No'@n
and Logo descend TO Nibelheim, the nome OF Nv
Nibelungs to secure IT. There Albench' through De
mower of the magic ring which he had made, has To
auced all the dwarfs subsection and compcnea 'ne
b heap up treasures for him. His brother euhs
smith named Mime. has just finished cu,.os ssr
linked can which has the power 10 nahc 10 49,,
Invisible or TO enable him 10 assume any FORM ,h
LCge tempts the dwarf to Try It's po"ers ,nhtIe he
changes himself snake, then 10 toad w ' him
has the form of toad woan puts his 100. oh
IOge soizes the magic cap C,larhh.1nm. -
tbev hind him and drag him 20 the surface
lie curses his own handiwork-the rag sh,n h.
The giants return and demand that freia sna' y.
cuver,d with the gold. NOtan seeks 10 retain .a.o
car OF darkness and the magic ring but INC tt5ns.s
must be thrown on the pile cover lock OF
golden hair the latter 10 conceal the gesm oil her
eve Not until Erdt, the prlmeNaI sodl'>s - 49,
seer has warned him TO part with ths rns Gu no
Wotan yield 1t up The curse act, a. o hoetv al
giants Quarrel about the division ~ ine nopS H.
fafner slays Fasolt with a blow OF his clup' ~
bane has touched the gods too. They are no "ss
safe against the pOsSessor Of the ring VINO shtas
restore N 70 its original owners and Keep " from Wy
hands Of the vindictve Mberlchl No'sh S.'s s~ord
the nlam Of A new race OF beings. AMI the $500
NCthung for this purpose then Joins ne sods com
procession and walks over the rainbow briose 90.
structed bv Bonner Thor into waihals. ms ms
rainbow briigc Is also part of the speeiaeuiT ~
4