Fafner kills Fasolt on the spot and flees with the loot. He reluctantly agrees and hands it over to the giants, who immediately fight over it. Erda appears and warns Wotan of the curse, urging him to rid himself of the ring. Wotan refuses, and the giants threaten to call off the deal and leave with Freia. Fafner also demands the ring, which is now worn by Wotan. The giants return with Freia, and Wotan and Loge offer them Alberich’s bounty of gold. In another fit of rage, Alberich curses the ring and all those who possess it in the future. Wotan and Loge drag Alberich away as their prisoner, seizing the ring and all of the gold. Upon their arrival, they learn that Alberich has enslaved the Nibelungs into mining him an enormous amount of gold. Wotan and Loge depart for Alberich’s kingdom, Nibelheim. Feeling threatened by the Nibelung’s new power, Fasolt convinces Fafner that the gold will be a more valuable reward than Freia, and they agree to return that evening to collect it, meanwhile seizing Freia as collateral. Loge finally appears, and relays the news of Alberich stealing the gold from the Rhine. Wotan attempts to compromise with them on another form of payment, but they warn him not to break their contact. When Fricka and Freia plead with Wotan for Freia’s protection from the giants, he assures them that Loge has a plan to save her. Meanwhile, Fasolt and Fafner have completed the construction of Wotan’s new palace and have been promised Freia as their payment. He forges the Ring of Power and declares himself lord of the Nibelungs. In a fit of rage, Alberich renounces love and steals the gold from the Rhine. Alberich begins lusting after the Rhinemaidens, who in turn mock him for his ugliness.

Alberich appears and notices the gold, and Wellgunde explains to him that the gold will bring incredible power to whoever forges it into a ring, but on the condition that he must renounce love completely.

The curtain opens on the Rhinemaidens guarding gold at the bottom of the Rhine River. The Rhinemaidens: Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde dwell in the Rhine Riverįasolt and Fafner: Two giants hired by Wotan to build his castle, Valhalla Wotan: King of the gods and the main protagonist of the cycleįricka: Wotan’s wife and goddess of marriageįreia: Fricka’s sister and goddess of youth and beauty

Lyric opera king and i