Final Monologue from the Opera "Götterdämmerung"

The Twilight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung) is the last of Richard Wagner's four operas that form the Ring of the Nibelung tetralogy. The title is a translation into German of the Old Norse phrase 'Ragnarök', which in Norse mythology refers to a foretold war between various creatures and gods that eventually leads to the burning, flooding and renewal of the world. As with the rest of The Ring, however, Wagner's narrative departs significantly from these Old Norse sources. The libretto of the opera, as well as the whole cycle, was written by Wagner himself in Zurich, between 1848 and 1852 , and the music was composed in Munich between 1871 and 1874. The Twilight of the Gods was premiered at the Bayreuth Festival on 17 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring of the Nibelung tetralogy. The first act of The Twilight of the Gods lasts more than two and a half hours and the opera itself is considered one of the most difficult in the world both for the orchestra and the soloists. In The Twilight of the Gods a dark, tragic palette prevails, evil images predominate. The characters are deprived of their will and become the tools of the dark forces. Great attention is paid to the revelation of the internal psychological struggle, the characteristics of the protagonists are presented in sharp clashes, ensembles play an important role.