subject: Great Moments In Opera, "Siegfried Takes His Revenge Over Wotan" From Act 3 Of Wagner's "Siegfried" [print this page] Great Moments In Opera, "Siegfried Takes His Revenge Over Wotan" From Act 3 Of Wagner's "Siegfried"
After slaying the dragon Siegfried follows a bird which is guiding him to the woman of beauty he has heard referred to yet has not seen; whose name in fact is Brunnhilde. Siegfried runs after the bird yet looses it along the way as it proves to be too swift for him. Siegfried at this point however knows he is close to the rock on which Brunnhilde rests upon and as he looks about the forest, he spots an old man; who wears a large hat and a patch over one of his eyes which he has apparently lost. The old man unknown to Siegfried is Wotan, the chief of all the gods, disguised as the wonderer and in fact is there to prevent him from freeing Brunnhilde and thus making her his wife.
Siegfried asks the old man with courtesy enough though not any real respect if he knows the way to Brunnhilde which he claims he does not yet mocks Siegfried when he tells him that a bird told him she was somewhere near by. Siegfried showing some measure of restraint tells the wonderer to either tell him where he may find her or keep silent, for he is searching for a woman of beauty. Wotan however tells Siegfried, he should demonstrate more respect for a man whose years number significantly higher than his own.
Siegfried then becomes more irate as he is in a hurry and feels he is being detained needlessly which prompts him to ridicule the old man along with his hat which he asks as to why it is so big as to hang over his head. Siegfried also makes reference to Wotan's lost eye which he asks if it was not poked out by perhaps another whose path he tried to block even insinuating he might loose the other if he does not yield immediately.
It is then that Wotan becomes infuriated as he feels the younger generation is not delivering him with the respect he deserves as he insists that he can let him pass, for if he did he would loose that which to him is overly valuable. Siegfried however is adamant about following the path which he feels will take him to Brunhilde and informs the old man that if he does not give way he too will suffer the same fate as Mime. Siegfried claiming that he and his sword Nuthung will slay any who insists upon getting in their way.
It is this point that Wotan tells Siegfried that he was the one who once broke the very sword he wields and that if he did so once then repeating his actions would not be beyond him. Siegfried however is not intimidated but quite to the contrary decides to gain revenge for his father as his sentiments tell him he is facing the very man who killed his father. Siegfried than removes his sword and strikes at Wotan, who is caught off guard and unlike when he met Siegfried's father, this time it is Nuthung which catches the shaft Wotan's spear; splitting it in half. Siegfried has emerged victorious as Wotan's spear has been reduced to two shattered fragments which he gallantly picks up and hands back to Wotan; who makes his escape in a fashion which is far from glorious.
Siegfried has once again surfaced triumphantly and it is with the sensation of invincibility that he awakens Brunnhilde, after having past the ring of fire which to him represented no problem what so ever. It is with tenderness that he faces, the woman who unknown to him at the time is really his aunt as she is the daughter of his grandfather, Wotan. Siegfried encounters a woman for the first time and initially feels slight trepidation yet as his heart races with an excitement of new sorts; he feels an attraction which is alien to him. Brunnhilde is also new to this sensation as the music captures the romance which is emerging between these two bold creatures who descend from the deities of Valhalla.
Brunnhilde and Siegfried encounter adoration and passion in each other's arm. Both of them sharing in the bounties of their sexuality which brings about an end to "Siegfried"; in order to set up everything for a dramatic climax in the opera to follow in "The Ring Of Nibelung" which as we all know is "Gotterdammerung". The character, Siegfried in the third opera of the ring is introduced and proves himself both strong and bold while at the same time possessor of sufficient wisdom in combat along with tenderness for the woman he has fallen in love with. All of which preparing one for further adventure in the grand finale which is "Gotterdammerung".
