Wagner's huge epic works such as Tannhauser and Lohengrin, and the four-opera The Ring Cycle (The Rhinegold,
The Valkerie, Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods), drew on Germanic legend and stories.
Wagner was the first
composer to demand the total unity of all the elements of
a production (the gesamtkunstwerk) controlling music, costume,
scenery and singers to ensure a dramatic and visually cohesive
opera.
The Ring Cycle lasts about 18 hours and was the first opera
to make used of a network of themes
or Leitmotifs,
each associated with a character or an idea.
The operas are a closely woven texture of narrative,
dialogue and orchestra and there are no formal arias. The
Ring Cycle has been understood by critics to be not just
a story about gods and humans, but an exploration
and reflection on the human condition. It has
also been interpreted at different times as
being socialist, fascist, Nazi or
Jungian.
Introduction
