Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883): Der Ring des Nibelungen / Das Rheingold

Tired of being interrupted by adverts ?
View this film here ADVERT FREE : https://youtu.be/QXWIE4zxFPk

In order to view this film with NO ADVERTS and HELP Altea Media restore in UHD resolution new productions, please join and subscribe :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpL6JBxoUu3zImhj5xUTlA/join

Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883): Der Ring des Nibelungen / Das Rheingold
Festival scénique en un prologue et trois journées
/Stage festival play with a preliminary evening and three days
sur un livret de Richard Wagner/ on a libretto by Richard Wagner
créé le 22 Septembre 1869 au Königliches Hoftheater de Munich
/ premiered on 22nd September 1869 at the Munich Königliches Hoftheater

enregistré in 1976 dans le cadre du centenaire du Festivalde Bayreuth
/ recorded in 1976 as part of the Bayreuth Festival centenaryFestival de Bayreuth

mise en scène / staging: Patrice Chéreau
Pierre Boulez, direction musicale / conductor

décors / sets: Richard Peduzzi
costumes / costumes: Jacques Schmidt
lumières / lights: Manfred Voss

Donald McIntyre, Wotan
Martin Egel, Donner
Siegfried Jerusalem, Froh
Heinz Zednik, Loge
Hermann Becht, Alberich
Helmut Pampuch, Mime
Matti Salminen, Fasolt
Fritz Hübner, Fafner
Hanna Schwarz, Fricka
Carmen Reppel, Freia
Ortrun Wenkel, Erda
Norma Sharp, Woglinde
Ilse Gramatzki, Wellgunde
Marga Schiml, Floßhilde

Bayreuth Festival Choir
Norbert Balatsch, director

Bayreuth Festival Orchestra

réalisation TV / TV director: Brian Large

Restauration complète à partir des masters originauxdans les studios d’Altea Media avec utilisation parcimonieuse de l’Intelligence Artificielle sous la direction artistique de Michel Swierczewski.

/ Complete film restoration from the original masters in Altea Media studios with careful use of Artificial Intelligence under Michel Swierczewski’s artistic direction.

SYNOPSIS

Scene 1: At the bottom of the Rhine

The Nibelung dwarf Alberich watches the three Rhinemaidens playing in the Rhine and tries unsuccessfully to seduce them. As sunlight reveals the gold they guard, they foolishly tell him its secret: whoever forges a ring from it will gain the power to rule the world, provided he renounces love. Humiliated and enraged, Alberich curses love, seizes the gold and disappears, leaving the Rhinemaidens in despair.

Scene 2: On the mountain tops

Wotan admires Valhalla, the new castle built for the gods by the giants Fasolt and Fafner. In payment, however, he has promised them Freia, goddess of youth. Wotan never intended to honour the bargain, but Fasolt reminds him that the agreement is engraved on his spear and that breaking it would undermine his authority.

Loge, god of fire, arrives with news of Alberich’s theft of the Rhinegold and the all-powerful ring he has forged from it. The giants agree to accept Alberich’s treasure instead of Freia, but take her hostage until the ransom is paid. Without Freia and her golden apples, the gods rapidly begin to age. Wotan and Loge descend to Nibelheim to seize Alberich’s gold.

Scene 3: Nibelheim

Through the power of the ring, Alberich has enslaved the Nibelungs. His brother Mime has also forged the Tarnhelm, a magic helmet allowing its wearer to become invisible or assume any shape.

Wotan and Loge trick Alberich into demonstrating its powers. After transforming himself into a dragon, Alberich boasts that he can become something tiny. He turns into a toad and is immediately captured.

Scene 4: On the mountain tops

To buy his freedom, Alberich is forced to surrender his treasure, the Tarnhelm and finally the ring. Before leaving, he places a terrible curse upon it: whoever possesses it will be consumed by greed, fear and death.

The giants return with Freia and demand enough gold to hide her completely from sight. Wotan reluctantly gives up the Tarnhelm but refuses to surrender the ring. Erda, goddess of the Earth, suddenly appears and warns him that the ring will bring destruction and that the gods themselves are doomed. Alarmed, Wotan gives it up.

The curse immediately takes effect: Fafner kills Fasolt during a quarrel over the treasure. Freia is released and the gods regain their youth.

Donner summons a storm and a rainbow bridge appears, leading to Valhalla. The gods solemnly enter their new home, while Loge remains sceptical of their future. From the depths of the Rhine, the Rhinemaidens lament their stolen gold and condemn the faithlessness of the gods.