Wagner, Richard: Siegfried

Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ (The Ring of the Nibelung). Wagner wrote the libretto and music for this cycle of four epicoperas over the course of about twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The Ring premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus over 4 days, from 13 to 17 August 1876. This part of the cycle is primarily inspired by the story of thelegendary hero Sigurd in Norse mythology. Siegfried is a man without fear, and he expresses to his foster father Mime his wish to learn to fear. Mime tells him that the wise learn fear quickly, but the stupid find itmoredifficult. Siegfried learns fear when he discovers the sleeping Brünnhilde in Act 3. G. Schirmer Opera Score Editions presents Richard Wagner’s Siegfried with both the original German lyrics andin English translation (translated by Frederick Jameson). The Orchestra parts have been transcribed into a Piano accompaniment and dramatisation instructions added where relevant. The Voice parts, which are true to the original,feature chorus, solo and duet sections of the characters: Siegfried (Tenor), Mime (Tenor), The Wanderer (Bass), Alberich (Bass), Fafner (Bass), Erda (Alto) and Brunhilde (Soprano).