Das Rheingold
Monday 17 April 2006 8:05-10:35 (Radio 3)
Alberich, ruler of the underworld Nibelung people, watches the Rhinemaidens and the gold they are protecting. A ring made from the gold will give its owner great power, but only if he renounces love, a risk Alberich is prepared to take. He steals the gold.
Wotan, the King of the Gods, also needs funds to pay the giants Fafner and Fasolt for building his fortress, Valhalla, otherwise he'll have to keep his promise to give them Freia, the Goddess of Youth. Wotan descends to Nibelheim accompanied by Loge, the God of Fire, where they find Alberich and his brother Mime fighting over the magic Tarn helmet. They soon trick Alberich and capture him, demanding the gold, and the Ring made from it, for his release. As Wotan forces the Ring from Alberich's finger, Alberich puts a curse on it, and anyone who touches it. The gold is duly handed over to the giants, who also demand the Tarn helmet and the Ring from Wotan. But the Ring's curse soon makes itself apparent as Fafner argues with, and kills Fasolt. Wotan leads his fellow Gods over a rainbow bridge to Valhalla, while the Rhinemaidens bemoan the loss of their gold, and Loge predicts disaster for the Gods.
Duration:
2 hours 30 minutes
Playlist:
Wotan ...... John Tomlinson (bass)
Donner ...... Bodo Brinkmann (baritone)
Froh ...... Kurt Schreibmayer (tenor)
Loge ...... Graham Clark (tenor)
Fricka ...... Linda Finnie (mezzo-soprano)
Freia ...... Eva Johansson (soprano)
Erda ...... Birgitta Svendén (soprano)
Alberich ...... Günter von Kannen (bass)
Mime ...... Helmut Pampuch (tenor)
Fasolt ...... Matthias Hölle (bass)
Fafner ...... Philip Kang (bass)
Woglinde ...... Hilde Leidland (soprano)
Wellgunde ...... Annette Küttenbaum (soprano)
Flosshilde ...... Jane Turner (mezzo-soprano)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim
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