“Götterdämmerung” by Richard Wagner libretto (English)

Contents: Characters; Prelude; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Glossary

Act Three

Prelude and Scene One

(The curtain rises. A wild, woody and rocky valley
on the Rhine, which flows past a steep cliff in the
background.)
(The three Rhine daughters, Woglinde, Wellgunde
and Flosshilde, rise to the surface and swim about,
circling as in a dance.)

The Rhine Daughters
(pausing in their swimming)
Fair sunlight sendeth rays of splendor;
night lies in the waters.
Bright were they once when through the waves
the radiant sun gleamed on the Rhine-gold.
Rhine-gold, shining gold,
how bright was once thy luster,
beauteous star of the waters!
(They swim about again as in a dance.)
Weialala, weialala heia leia wallala la
heia la la lei la la la la la la lei,
walla la la la weia la wallala weia la
la la wallala la la leia leia leia leia la la la!
(Distant horn call. They listen. They joyously splash
in the water.)
Fair sunlight, send us now the hero,
who again our gold shall give us!
Let it be ours, then thy bright eye
no more will awaken our longing!
Rhine-gold! Shining gold,
how fair then thy luster,
glorious star of the waters!
(Siegfried's horn is heard on the heights.)

Woglinde
I hear now his horn.

Wellgunde
The hero comes.

Flosshilde
Let us take counsel!
(All three dive down quickly.)
(Siegfried appears on the cliff, fully armed.)

Siegfried
Some elf hath led me astray,
and now the track I have lost.
Hey, rogue! What rocky cave has hidden so
quickly my game?
(The three Rhine daughters rise to the surface and
swim as in a dance.)

Rhine Daughters
Siegfried!

Flosshilde
Why scold'st thou so at the rocks?

Wellgunde
Hath a fairy roused thine ire?

Woglinde
Or hath an elf played thee false?

All Three
Tell us, Siegfried, speak to us.

Siegfried
(smilingly regarding them)
Have ye then lured away the shaggy-hided fellow
whom I have lost?
Is he your sweetheart?
then, frolicsome maids, I leave him to you.
(The maidens laugh.)

Woglinde
Siegfried, what giv'st thou us,
if we thy game should grant thee?

Siegfried
Nought have I won today:
so ask of me what ye will!

Wellgunde
A golden ring gleams on thy finger:

Rhine Daughters
That give us!

Siegfried
From a dragon fierce
I gained the ring in fight,
and for a worthless bearskin shall I
give it you now as price?

Woglinde
Art thou so mean?

Wellgunde
So miserly, too?

Flosshilde
Free-handed aye with maids shouldst thou be!

Siegfried
On you if I waste my goods,
belike then my wife will scold.

Flosshilde
Is she a shrew?

Wellgunde
She strikes perchance?

Woglinde
Hath the hero felt her hand?
(They laugh immoderately.)

Siegfried
Now laugh ye gaily on!
In grief will ye be left:
the ring ye fondly crave
your mocking never shall win!
(The Rhine daughters have again joined hands for the dance.)

Flosshilde
So fair!

Wellgunde
So strong!

Woglinde
So worthy love!

All Three
How sad that he a miser is!

(They laugh and dive down.)
(Siegfried comes lower down.)

Siegfried
Why must I brook their idle mocks?
Shall I bear this shame?
Let them but come to the shore again,
the ring then would I give them.
(calling loudly) Hey! Hey hey!
Ye merry water-maidens!
Come now! I grant you the ring!
(He has drawn the ring from his finger and holds it
on high. The Rhine daughters rise again to the
surface. They appear grave and solemn.)

Flosshilde
Then keep it still and ward it well,
till thou the ill-fate hast found,

Wog., Well.
that in the ring lies hid,

All Three
Right fain wilt thou then
be freed by us from the curse.

Siegfried
(quietly places the ring again on his finger)
Then sing me what ye know.

Rhine Daughters
Siegfried! Siegfried! Siegfried!
Evil fate we foresee.

Wellgunde
For thine own ill-hap hold'st thou the
ring.

Well., Floss.
From the Rhine's pure gold

All Three
was the ring once wrought:

Wellgunde
He who craftily shaped it

Woglinde
and lost it in shame,

Wog., Well.
laid a curse thereon

All Three
for time to come, that doometh
its lord surely to death.

Flosshilde
As thou slew' st the dragon

Well., Floss.
shalt thou be slain

All Three
and here, today: so now we foretell,
if thou the ring wilt not yield

Well., Floss.
to rest for aye in the waters.

All Three
This stream alone stayeth the curse!

Siegfried
Ye wily women, hold your peace!
If your craft could not catch me,
by your threats still less will ye fright me!

Rhine Daughters
Siegfried! Siegfried!
We counsel thee well.
Turn thee! Turn from the curse!
By Norns at dead of night was it
woven in the rope of fate's decrees!

Siegfried
My sword once shattered a spear:
the endless rope of fate's decrees,
if in its strands a curse hath been spun,
Nothung shall cut it asunder!
A dragon once warned me to flee the curse,
but yet fear he brought not to me.
(He contemplates the ring.)
The world's wealth hath a ring on me bestowed:
for the grace of love had it been yours,
and by your grace yet were it gained.
But when limbs ye threaten and life,
e'en tho' a finger outweigh its worth,
from me ye wrest not the ring.
My limbs and my life, see:
(He lifts a clod of earth from the ground, holds it
over his head, and with the last words throws it
behind him.)
so freely I fling away!

Rhine Daughters
Come, sisters!
Speed from the madman!
Though valiant and wise he seems to himself,
though valiant and wise he seems to himself,
yet in bonds and in blindness is he!
(They swim, wildly excited, in wide circles close to
the shore.)
Oaths he plighted, and heedeth them not!
(Renewed animated movement.)
Runes he readeth, and recks them not!

Flosshilde
A glorious gift once was his own:

Woglinde
A glorious gift once was his own:

All Three
That he has lost it knows he not;

Flosshilde
but the ring,

Wellgunde
that will deal him death,

All Three
the ring he will not surrender!
Farewell! Siegfried! A woman proud
will this day they wealth inherit;
our prayer by her will be heard:
to her!
(They turn quickly to their dance, in which they
slowly swim away to the back. Siegfried looks after
them, smiling, then places one foot on a piece of rock
on the shore and stands with his chin resting on his
hand.)

Rhine Daughters
Weialala weialala
leia leia wallala la la lei
la la la lei la la la la la la lei
(more and more distant) walla la la la weia
la walla la weiala la lei wallala
la la leia leia leia leia la la la!

Siegfried
Alike on land and water
women's ways I now have learned:
the man who defies their smiles
they seek by threats to frighten;
if then he scorn their threats,
they sting him with scolding tongues!
(The Rhine daughters have now quite disappeared.)
And yet, but for my plighted oath,...
(The Rhine daughters are heard in the far
distance.)

Rhine Daughters
La! la!

Siegfried
... of these so winsome maids,
full sure had one soon been mine!
(He looks calmly after them.)
(Hunting horns are heard from the heights.)

Hagen
(far offstage) Hoiho!
(Siegfried starts from a dreamy reverie and
answers the call with his horn.)

Scene Two

Vassals
(offstage) Hoiho?
Hoiho? Hoiho?

Siegfried
(answering) Hoiho! Hoiho hoihe!
(Hagen appears on the height. Gunther follows
him.)

Hagen
(seeing Siegfried) Found is the place, then,
where thou hast hidden?

Siegfried
Come ye down! Here 'tis fresh and cool!
(The Vassals all come to the height and now come
down with Hagen and Gunther.)

Hagen
Here rest we now; make ready the meal!
(They lay the game in a heap.)
Lay down the booty,
and bring out the wineskins!
(Wineskins and drink-horns are produced.
All lie down.)
The game from us he hunted;
be now the wonders told us
of Siegfried and his chase.

Siegfried
Ill fares it with my meal:
to share your booty e'en must I now beg.

Hagen
No booty thine?

Siegfried
For wood-game went I forth,
but waterfowl only I found:
yet had I been fitly furnished,
a brood of waterbirds to you had I brought as booty,
who sang to my ears ill tidings,
that slain today should I be.
(Gunther starts and looks darkly at Hagen.)
(Siegfried lies down between Gunther and Hagen.)

Hagen
That were an ill-starred chase,
if a lurking beast should change
to slay the luckless hunter.

Siegfried
I thirst now!

Hagen
(while a drink-horn is filled for Siegfried,
which Hagen then offers to him)
I heard it rumored, Siegfried,
that when the birds are singing
their speech thou dost know:
can that be the truth?

Siegfried
Their singing long have I heeded no more.
(He grasps the drink-horn and turns with it to
Gunther. He drinks and offers the horn to Gunther.)
Drink, Gunther, drink:
thy brother brings the draught!
(Gunther looks into the horn with horror.)

Gunther
(moodily) The draught is poor and pale:
(more gloomily) thy blood alone is there!

Siegfried
(laughing)
Then let our blood be mingled!
(He pours from Gunther's horn into his own so
that it overflows.)
Now mixed the wine runs over:
to earth, our mother, a cordial let it be!

Gunther
(with a deep sigh)
Thou overjoyous man!

Siegfried
(low, to Hagen)
His mirth Brünnhilde mars!

Hagen
(low, to Siegfried)
Her voice is not so clear as song of birds to thee!

Siegfried
Since women their songs have sung me,
the birds have I clean forgot.

Hagen
Yet once thou heard'st them well?

Siegfried
(turning to Gunther with animation)
Hey, Gunther, gloomy man!
Give me thy thanks,
and tales of the days of my boyhood will I tell thee.

Gunther
My thanks be thine.
(All lie down near Siegfried, who alone sits
upright.)

Hagen
Now sing to us.

Siegfried
Mime, know ye then, was a dwarf:
he had fostered me, driven by greed,
that, grown to strength, for him I might slay
in the wood a dragon grim,
who lay there guarding a hoard.
So smithing he taught me
and forging sword blades;
the task the craftsman ne'er could achieve,
the learner's cunning yet had to master:
out of a shattered weapon's splinters,
new to fashion a sword.
My father's blade forged I anew.
Ne'er was steel stronger than Nothung.
Fit for the fight then it was deemed;
together we sought the wood:
there slew I Fafner, the foe.
Now let your ears heed well my tale:
marvels have I to tell you.
From the dragon's blood my fingers were burning;
I raised them straight to my mouth:
but when the blood scarce had wetted my tongue,
then what the birds were singing
I seemed to hear like speech.
On a branch one sat there and sang:
"Hei! Siegfried now owneth the Nibelung's hoard,
if hid in the cavern the hoard he finds!
Let him but win him the Tarnhelm,
'twill serve him for deeds of renown:
but could he discover the ring,
it would make him the lord of the world!"

Hagen
Ring and Tarnhelm took'st thou away?

A Vassal
Again then heard'st thou the woodbird?

Siegfried
Ring and Tarnhelm when I had seized,
then once again I gave ear to the warbler;
he sat above me and sang:
"Hei! Siegfried now owneth the helm and the ring.
Oh, let him not trust to the falsest of friends!
for Mime too covets the hoard
and now craftily lurks on the road:
to his death he lureth on Siegfried:
let Siegfried trust not in Mime!"

Hagen
The warning was good?

Four Vassals
Got Mime his payment?

Siegfried
With murderous drink he came to my side;
shy and shaking, he told me his falseness:
Nothung paid him his wage!

Hagen
(laughing harshly)
He forged not the sword yet soon did he feel it!
(He has another drink-horn filled and drops the
juice of an herb into it.)

A Vassal
What more didst hear from the woodbird?

Another Vassal
What more didst hear from the woodbird?

Hagen
Drink first, hero, from my horn:
I mixed thee a noble draught,
that its magic may wake thy remembrance,
(He offers Siegfried the horn.)
and old times may not escape thee!
(Siegfried looks thoughtfully into the horn and
then drinks slowly.)

Siegfried
In grief to the branches gazed I aloft;
there still he sat and sang:
"Hei! Siegfried hath struck down the evil dwarf!
Now know I for him a glorious bride:
on rocky fastness she sleeps,
guarded by fire is her home:
who fighteth the flames, wakens the maid,
Brünnhilde wins for his own!"

Hagen
The woodbird's counsel didst thou follow?

Siegfried
Straight, without pause I hied me away:
(Gunther listens with increasing astonishment.)
till the flaming fell I reached:
I passed through its fire and found for prize,
(sinking more and more into a state of ecstasy)
sleeping, a woman fair,
all clad in glittering mail.
The helm I loosed from the glorious maid,
my kiss awoke her from sleep:
ah, then like flames of fire
enfolded me beauteous Brünnhilde's arms!

Gunther
(springing up in greatest dismay)
What saith he?

(Two ravens fly up out of a bush, circle over Sieg-
fried, and then fly away toward the Rhine.)

Hagen
Those raven's speech! canst thou read it aright?
(Siegfried stands up suddenly and, turning his
back to Hagen, looks after the ravens.)
Vengeance is their decree!
(Hagen thrusts his spear into Siegfried's back.
Gunther and the Vassals rush toward Hagen. Sieg-
fried swings his shield on high with both hands, as
though to throw it upon Hagen: his force fails him,
the shield falls backward, and he himself falls down
on the shield.)

Four Vassals
(who have in vain tried to hold Hagen back)
Hagen, what dost thou?

Two other Vassals
What deed is that?

Gunther
Hagen, what deed is that?

Hagen
Falsehood's payment!
(Hagen turns quietly away and then is seen
through the gathering twilight slowly moving up the
height, over which he disappears. Gunther bends
down, stricken with grief, at Siegfried's side. The
Vassals stand around the dying man, filled with
sympathy.)

Siegfried
(held by two Vassals in a sitting position,
opens his eyes)
Brünnhilde! Holiest bride!
Awake! Lift up thine eyelids!
Who hath locked thee once more in sleep?
Who bound thee in slumber so fast?
Thy wak'ner came: he kissed thee awake,
again now the bridge's bonds hath he broken:
now laughs to him Brünnhild's delight.
Ah! those eyes ever now open!
Ah, what enchantment wafteth her breathing!
Blissful surrender, sweet are they terrors!
Brünnhild' greeteth me there!
(He sinks back and dies. The rest stand around him
in sorrow without moving.)
(Night has come. At Gunther's mute command the
Vassals raise Siegfried's corpse and, during the
following, carry it away in solemn procession over the
height. Gunther follows at a little distance.)
(The moon breaks through the clouds and lights
up the funeral procession more and more brightly as
it reaches the height. Mists have arisen from the
Rhine and gradually fill the whole stage, where the
funeral procession has become invisible: they come
quite to the front, so that the whole stage remainshidden during the musical interlude.)
(From this point the mists divide again, until at
length the hall of the Gibichungs appears, as in Act One.)

Scene Three

(It is night. The moonlight is reflected from the
Rhine. Gutrune comes out from her room into the hall.)

Gutrune
Was that his horn? (She listens.)
No! He cometh not yet.
Dreams of evil drove away my sleep.
Then wildly neighs his horse;
Brünnhild's laughter in waking I heard.
What woman was't
that to the shore I saw go down!
I shrink from Brünnhild'. Is she within?
(She listens at the door to the right and calls:)
Brünnhild'! Brünnhild'! Art awake?
(She opens the door hesitatingly and looks into
the inner room.)
Bare is her room. Then it was she
who to the river shore went down?
(Horn on the stage, distant.)
Was that his horn? No! All silent!
(She looks anxiously out.)
Would but Siegfried return!

Hagen
(from offstage, coming nearer)
Hoiho! Hoiho!
(As Gutrune hears Hagen's voice she stands for a
time motionless with fear.)
Awake! Awake!
Torches, torches, burning torches!
Home bring we spoils of our hunt.
Hoiho! Hoiho!
(Increasing fire-glow from offstage. Hagen enters
the hall.)
Up, Gutrun'! Give Siegfried greeting!
Thy hero bold now cometh home.

Gutrune
(in great terror)
What befell? Hagen! I heard not his horn!
(Men and women in great confusion, with lights
and firebrands, accompany the procession returning
home with Siegfried's body.)

Hagen
Thy pale-faced hero will wind it no more;
to fight or to hunt no more will he hie,
no more will he woo winsome women.

Gutrune
(with growing horror)
What bring hey here?
(The procession reaches the middle of the hall, and
the Vassals set down the body on a hastily raised
mound.)

Hagen
'Tis a boar's ill-fated victim:
Siegfried, thy husband, slain.
(Gutrune shrieks out and falls upon the corpse.
General horror and mourning. Gunther tends
Gutrune.)

Gunther
Gutrun', gentle sister,
look thou upon me, speak but to me!

Gutrune
(coming to herself again.)
Siegfried ... Siegfried is murdered!
(She pushes Gunther back violently.)
Hence! hence, faithless brother!
'tis thou hast slain my husband,
Oh help me! Help me! Sorrow! Sorrow!
My hero, Siegfried, is murdered!

Gunther
Cast not the blame on me,
cast there the blame on Hagen.
He is the accursed traitor
by whom this hero was slain.

Hagen
Art therefor wroth with me?

Gunther
Grief and ill-fate thine be forever!

Hagen
(stepping forward with terrible defiance)
Yes then! 'Tis I that did slay him.
I, Hagen, dealt him his death.
To my spear was he decreed,
whereon his false oath was sworn.
Holiest heritage have I by right now won me:
Therefore I claim here this ring.

Gunther
Away! What I have won,
that thou shalt ne'er make thine!

Hagen
Ye vassals, give me my right.

Gunther
Graspest thou Gutrune's dower,
shameless Niblung son?
(Hagen draws his sword.)

Hagen
The Niblung's dower so his son doth seize.
(He rushes upon Gunther, who defends himself;
they fight. The Vassals throw themselves between.
Gunther falls dead from a stroke of Hagen's.)
Mine, the ring!
(He grasps at Siegfried's hand, which raises itself
threateningly. Gutrune shrieks with horror as Gunther
falls. All remain motionless with terror.)
(From the background Brünnhilde advances firmly
and solemnly to the front.)

Brünnhilde
(still in the background)
Silence your sorrow's clamorous cry!
Whom ye all have betrayed,
for vengeance cometh his wife.
(as she quietly comes farther forward)
Children heard I whining to their mother
because sweet milk had been spilled:
yet heard I not lament that befitteth
the highest hero's fame.

Gutrune
(raising herself from the ground)
Brünnhilde! Envy-cursed one!
Thou hast on us brought this bane,
for thou didst rouse the men against him;
woe, that to this house thou cam'st!

Brünnhilde
Ill-starred one, peace!
for ne'er wert thou wife of his;
his leman alone hast thou been.
His manhood's bride am I:
to me all his vows had been sworn
ere Siegfried looked on thy face!

Gutrune
(breaking out in sudden despair)
Accursed Hagen! that thou the poison gav'st
that has stol'n her husband away!
Ah, sorrow! Mine eyes are opened,
Brünnhild' was the true love
whom through the drink he forgot!
(Full of shame, she has turned away from Siegfried
and bends over Gunther's body in a dying condition;
so she remains, motionless, till the end. Hagen
stands, defiantly leaning on his spear, sunk in gloomy
brooding, on the opposite side.)
(Brünnhilde alone in the center: after remaining
long absorbed in contemplation of Siegfried, she
turns now to the men and women with solemn
exaltation.)

Brünnhilde
(to the Vassals)
Mighty logs I bid you now pile
on high by the river shore!
Bright and fierce kindle a fire;
let the noblest hero's corse in its flames be
consumed.
His steed bring to me here,
that with me his lord he may follow:
for my body burneth with holiest longing my
hero's honor to share.
Fulfill Brünnhild's behest.
(During the following, the young men raise a huge
funeral pyre of logs before the hall, near the bank of
the Rhine: women decorate this with coverings on
which they strew plants and flowers.)
(Brünnhilde becomes again absorbed in contemplation
of Siegfried's dead face. Her features take
gradu ally a softer and brighter expression.)

Like rays of sunshine streameth his light:
the purest was he, who hath betrayed!
In wedlock traitor, true in friendship;
from his heart's own true love, only beloved one,
barred was he by his sword.
Truer than his were oaths ne'er spoken;
faithful as he, none ever held promise;
purer than his, love ne'er was plighted:
Yet oaths hath he scorned, bonds hath he broken,
the faithfullest love none so hath betrayed!
Know ye why that was?
(looking upward)
Oh ye, of vows the heavenly guardians!
Turn now your eyes on my grievous distress;
behold your eternal disgrace!
To my plaint give ear, thou mighty god!
Through his most valiant deed,
by thee so dearly desired,
didst thou condemn him to endure
the doom that on thee had fallen;
he, truest of all, must betray me,
that wise a woman might grow!
Know I now all thy need?
All things, all things, all now know I.
All to me is revealed.
Wings of thy ravens wave around me;
with tidings long desired,
I send now thy messengers home.
Rest thou, rest thou, o god!
(She makes a sign to the Vassals to lift Siegfried's
body onto the pyre; at the same time she draws the
ring from Siegfried's finger and looks at it meditatively.)

My heritage yields now the hero.
Accursed charm! Terrible ring!
My hand grasps thee, and gives thee away.
Ye sisters wise who dwell in the waters,
give ear, ye sorrowing Rhine maids,
good counsel lives in your redes:
what ye desire I leave to you:
now from my ashes take ye your treasure!
Let fire, burning this hand,
cleanse, too, the ring from its curse!
Ye in the flood, wash it away,
and purer preserve your shining gold
that to your sorrow was stol'n.
(She has put the ring on her finger and now turns
to the pile of logs on which Siegfried's body lies
stretched. She takes a great firebrand
from one of the men.)
(waving the firebrand and pointing to the
background)
Fly home, ye ravens! tell your lord the tidings
that here on the Rhine ye have learned!
To Brünnhilde's rock first wing your flight!
there burneth Loge:
straight way bid him to Walhall!
For the end of godhood draweth now near.
So cast I the brand
on Walhall's glittering walls.
(She flings the brand on the woodpile, which
quickly breaks out into bright flames. Two ravens fly
up from the rock and disappear in the background.)
(Brünnhilde perceives her horse, which has just
been led in by two men.)
Grane, my steed, I greet thee, friend!

(She has sprung toward him, seizes and unbridles
him: then she bends affectionately toward him.)
Know'st thou now to whom
and whither I lead thee?
In fire radiant, lies there thy lord,
Siegfried, my hero blest.
To follow thy master, joyfully neigh'st thou?
Lures thee to him the light with its laughter?
Feel, too, my bosom, how it doth burn;
glowing flames now lay hold on my heart:
fast to enfold him, embraced by his arms,
in might of our loving with him aye made one!
Heiajaho! Grane! Give him thy greeting!
(She has swung herself on the horse and urges it to
spring forward.)

Siegfried! Siegfried! See!
Brünnhild' greets thee in bliss.

(She makes her horse leap into the burning pile of
logs. The flames immediately blaze up so that they fill
the whole space in front of the hall and appear to
seize on the building itself. The men and women
press to the front in terror.)

(As the whole space of the stage seems filled with
fire, the glow suddenly subsides, so that only a cloud
of smoke remains, which is drawn to the background
and there lies on the horizon as a dark bank of cloud.
At the same time the Rhine overflows its banks in a
mighty flood which rolls over the fire. On the waves
the three Rhine daughters swim forward and now
appear on the place of the fire.)

(Hagen, who since the incident of the ring has
observed Brünnhilde's behavior with growing
anxiety, is seized with great alarm at the appearance
of the Rhine daughters. He hastily throws spear,
shield and helmet from him and rushes, as if mad,
into the flood.)

Hagen
Give back the ring!
(Woglinde and Wellgunde embrace his neck with
their arms and draw him with them into the depths
as they swim away. Flosshilde, swimming in front of
the others toward the back, holds up the regained
ring joyously.)
(Through the bank of clouds which lie on the
horizon a red glow breaks forth with increasing
brightness. Illumined by this light, the three Rhine
daughters are seen, swimming in circles, merrily play-
ing with the ring on the calmer waters of the Rhine,
which has gradually returned to its natural bed.)
(From the ruins of the fallen hall, the men and
women, in the greatest agitation, look on the
growing firelight in the heavens. As this at length
glows with the greatest brightness, the interior of
Walhall is seen, in which the gods and heroes sit
assembled, as in Waltraute's description in the first act.)
(Bright flames appear to seize on the hall of the
gods. As the gods become entirely hidden by the
flames, the curtain falls.)

libretto by Frederick Jameson

Contents: Characters; Prelude; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Glossary