Twilight of the Gods Part 2:
The Legion had taken the base of the mountain. Even now the necromancers were picking their way amongst the dead. Satyrs tended to their wounded while still more demons entered. It was perhaps midday, though the darkening skies above them did not show it. It was very cool up near the peak of the mountain, and demons had not yet defiled the air here.
The unholy army was making no move upwards, instead of mustering its forces for the time of the assault. It seemed they were suffering from a shortage of manpower, and so needed time to reform. There was a tenseness in the air. Nature itself was coiling for a spring, and Malfurion Stormrage knew they must make the best of it.
Looking upon the World Tree, he saw the innumerable spirits of Ashenvale gathering. They were not yet all here, but there were many, yet not enough. They needed more time. For a moment he kept looking at the tree which had been there so long. Yet he could remember a time it had not been there at all. He was old, very old.
He had not become better in that time, or adapted to new times. He had gone unchanged by the passing of time. From the peak of Mount Hyjal, he turned his gaze down to the orc encampment.
There were many wounded there, and too few priests. Many of those who could heal were tired, having expended much of their magic earlier. Mourning the loss of so many brave soldiers, Malfurion motioned with his staff. By his will alone it began to rain, then pour. And as the water hit the wounds of men, those wounds closed.
People who had been pale and dying arose in new strength. Those who had been exhausted found strength restored to their limbs. It was the least Malfurion could do to ease their burden. He scanned the crowds, trying to see any sign of Tyrande. Yet there were far too many people down there for him to pick her out.
Then she appeared from the shadows. She had several fresh cuts on her face that had not yet been washed away by the rain. 'Furion,' said Tyrande, 'will you heed Archimonde's challenge?'
Malfurion considered it. 'No, not yet, I am not so proud as to be drawn into a battle that easily. Still, something about all this is strange. I can understand Archimonde's grudge against my family line. I believe he blames me chiefly for his defeat in the War of the Ancients, though it was hardly all my doing. Yet what of this Menethil?'
'I believe it is the name of the unholy one who fights alongside Illidan.' said Tyrande. 'The Lady Proudmoore tells me that he was a leader of great renown among his kind before he fell to the Legions side.'
'And now he has turned against them in turn.' mused Malfurion. 'I can see why Illidan holds some affection for him; they are alike in many ways. Still, for Archimonde to call him to task alongside my name, he must have been mighty indeed.'
'Illidan tells me that he slew Tichondrius, and the orcs speak of this Arthas with deep respect. Almost as a liberator.' said Tyrande. 'Yet we heard not the faintest rumor of any of this until the orcs entered our realm. We night elves have been sealed away from the world too long, I think. That must change, as all things do.'
'We don't change, my love.' said Malfurion. 'We are much the same as we once were. Only… faded. As though we have been frozen within the river of time. I think I will take my place amongst the defenders. This peril belongs to all equally.'
The rain slackened, leaving the army restored to health and vigor.
Upon a hillock rising above the orcish base, Saurfang approached Thrall. The Warchief was sitting cross-legged, his trusted wolf mount sitting some ways away. The Warchief had his eyes closed, and his hands were open and on his knees, palms facing upwards. Around him, the spirits coursed, speaking of many things. So powerful was their presence that Saurfang could see them. The air seemed to be pulsing with primal forces, the ground around Thrall trembling.
'Warchief,' he said 'the Horde stands ready. Will you not lead?'
Thrall did not respond. His eyes were blank and unseeing. The pulsing grew more prominent. Saurfang wondered if he could hear him, and then decided it did not matter. If Thrall could not command he would have to do so in his place. Turning he made his way back to the Horde.
He was met by many warriors. 'What did the Warchief say?'
'Thrall is deep in meditation.' said Saurfang. 'I do not know what his plan is, yet we have trusted him thus far, and he has not led us astray. We will continue to fight for him.'
'I be sensing powerful energies mustering around da Warchief.' said Vol'jin. 'We should be letting him be.'
'Spare us, troll.' said a cold voice. 'Your kin have no respect for life, so how could you possibly hope to wield its magics?'
Vol'jin looked up to where Shandris Feathermoon was stringing her bow. His eyes narrowed. 'That be big words coming from da cowards who attacked us first.'
'You enter our lands with neither leave nor permission.' said Shandris. 'You felled trees which had stood for ages, and desecrated the lands of our people. If your kind has suffered by our hands, it is well deserved.'
'For one who has need of us, you show little respect.' said Saurfang.
'We didn't need you until you screwed everything up.' snapped Shandris. 'We had everything under control before you came in and killed Cenarius. All you're doing is helping to fix a situation you created!'
'Under control?' asked Arthas as he came up behind. 'Three separate demonic invasions took place in the last thirty years alone. You didn't even notice. If the orcs hadn't burst into your forest, you would have done nothing.'
'It was you who brought Archimonde into this world, to begin with! You are hardly one to talk!' said Shandris.
'The elf has a point.' mused Saurfang.
'At least I wasn't aware that I was selling my soul at the time.' noted Arthas. 'Which is more than can be said for your entire race.'
'Enough!' said Jaina. 'We're all responsible for this!'
'I'm not.' said a furbolg.
'Okay, so we're all responsible except you.' Jaina. 'What is important is that we stop the Legion's advance.'
'Much as I'd like to cheer you on for developing into a leader, that's not really an option Jaina.' said Arthas. 'Archimonde is so powerful that the best we can hope for is to keep him occupied long enough for him to get bored. Then he'll take direct action. Then we'll all die.'
'Will you stop saying things like that?' said Jaina, in exasperation.
'Someone has to have some kind of perspective here.' replied Arthas.
'To arms!' cried a soldier. 'To arms! The Legion comes!'
As soon as those words rang out there was no more time for discussion. Tyrygosa launched herself from where she was perched. She watched as every man and woman, orc, human, elf, and everything besides rushed to their stations. Below them, a new tide was washing up the slopes of Mount Hyjal. Not all of it was undead, however. For among their lines could be seen satyrs and lesser demons while doomguards came up behind.
Azgalor who had slain so many before was marshaling his host. Their cries echoed as they charged up the slope towards the second line. Guns were fired, spears were hurled, great stones were thrown through the air to land amidst the enemy. The twang of bows was heard by every ear. Three whole ranks were obliterated.
Yet there were always more. Throughout the blighted woodlands, all the enemies of good were flowing forth. For a victory here would spell the end of all hope for the righteous. Tyrygosa flew low over the Legion and breathed her icy breath upon them. Many died, yet arrows and spears were hurled in turn, and she was nearly shot from the sky. A hippogriff rider shot arrows down below, but was caught by a bolt of fel magic and sent spiraling to her death.
Turning in midair, the blue dragoness flew away from the battle and watched the melee begin. Arthas, Illidan, and Saurfang were at the front, hacking down all who came before them. Orc and human fought as one to hold back the tide — the weapons of the night elves and other denizens of Ashenvale forest slew many.
Yet on came the Legion. On came the tide. The defense of the mountain was like a great and immovable rock. But the waters of evil beat against it again, and again until little by little it yielded before them.
Azgalor returned, joining the battle at last with his elite guard and the line buckled beneath it. The strike was harder this time. Tyrygosa thought for a moment thought they would be forced to abandon the second line of defense.
Then what seemed a star from heaven fell upon the Legion's line. It exploded into a shockwave of fire which consumed a dozen undead. Tyrygosa saw that the heavens had opened to pour their wrath on their enemies. Demons and undead, satyrs and other monstrous being screamed as they were scorched. The assault wavered, the lines reformed!
Then fire of a different kind came from heaven. Tyrygosa was nearly knocked from the sky an infernal shot past her. It landed on the ground, scattering the defense. More and more of them fell, and even as hope had been restored the Legion regained its power.
A Dreadlord walked among the fray, calm and terrible. A wave of dark fire consumed a group of orcs. Unnatural sleep fell upon many of the great champions of good. All around him, the Legions wounds were healed as they inflicted great injury on the good.
Azgalor returned, leading his rallied forces in charge. And Tyrygosa knew that if they met the forces of good now, it would be the end. Not just of this line of defense but of the battle. Of the war! Of all things good and green in this world and who knew how many others!
Descending the dragoness roared, meaning to stop Azgalor. She poured ice upon the legions forces, and gryphon riders hurled their hammers. Wyvern riders hurled their spears to deadly accuracy. Many of the enemy were dead.
Yet it was not enough!
Azgalor roared a battle cry as he came towards the scattered defenders for one final attack!
Then Malfurion Stormrage barred his path.
With a wave of the Druids' hand, great vines arose and grabbed Azgalor. They dragged him down, halting his advance. The trees themselves arose in wrath and rushed to assail those who would defile the land. Then Illidan rushed from the fray, his blades covered in the blood of demons. He passed by the restrained Pit Lord and landed on one knee.
Twilight Of The Gods Movie
Azgalor roared and exploded into flame, scorching the land around him.
His minions, terrified of Illidan, turned and fled. As Tyrygosa flew back over the battlefield, she saw Arthas. He was hewing down an infernal with Frostmourne. Saurfang and many other heroes fought similar battles.
Jaina Proudmoore was engaged in a duel with the Dreadlord. Her water elementals were fighting with his infernals. Her ice was matched against his fel magics. Lights flew between them, fire and ice, dark and light.
Then suddenly Jaina Proudmoore was gone, teleporting away in blue light.
The Dreadlord Anetheron scoffed. Then a hole was blown in his chest from behind.
As he slumped to the ground, Jaina Proudmoore turned to walk away without a word. She had teleported behind him, and shot him in the back. Not the most glorious of victories, but it had been done. Indeed, only a very skilled mage could have done it so quickly and with such precision.
Cheers came from the remaining defenders as the last of the demons were slain or run off. The shattered remnants of the Legion fled downwards towards Archimonde. The demonlord who stood there, silent in his fury.
Archimonde looked upon the shattered remnants of his forces. More than anything he wished to slay them, to burn them! He should tear them apart for this humiliation! Yet that would only damage his already fleeting reserves further. No, he could not longer afford to be so casual with the lives of his forces.
It might have been otherwise had the Proudmoore girl defected. Her presence might have been used to bring Arthas into the fold. He needed a leader, someone to bring humanity into the fold. Until he had that, he would have to make due with these wretches.
'The fools could scarcely even hurt them.' he hissed. 'Are there none left to stand for the Legion?' He looked down to his last remaining commander on the field. 'Kirrasan, rally what remains of our forces and fall back to the rear lines.'
Kirrassan stared at him open-mouthed for a moment. 'We're retreating?'
'You are retreating.' said Archimonde in disgust, and then he looked to the Legion. 'You have failed me. Completely and utterly, and with that failure I am forced to take a direct hand once again. Flee now, pathetic creatures, and watch as I do your work for you! Go! Before I lose patience!'
The Legion fled in terror, and Archimonde looked up to the slopes of Mount Hyjal. Surprisingly he found that his anger with Stormrage had subsided. It was more a longstanding grudge he meant to fulfill in due time. Nothing that had happened here was because of Stormrage. The fool had played right into the Legion's hands by clinging to the Emerald Dream. Archimonde's subordinates had worked freely while he slept.
No, Stormrage was not worth his anger anymore.
Tichondrius was dead. Mannaroth was dead. Azgalor was fallen, and Anetheron had joined him. Only Kazzak and Kirrassan remained now to Archimonde. And what resources did they have to command? Inexperienced and worthless creatures such as those who had just failed him utterly. The cream of the Legion, their greatest warriors, all were dead.
And Archimonde knew who to blame.
The Legion was beaten! Orc and human embraced! Cheers came from all! Against all odds, against all obstacles and impossibilities, they had won! They had smashed the assault, and now the Legion was withdrawing with its tail between its legs!
'We got the bastards!' roared a footman.
'Glory to the Horde!' cried an orc.
'Elune's Wrath fell from the heavens and sent them away!'
'Those stars falling from heaven,' said Jaina, 'they were yours weren't they?'
'A rare power,' said Tyrande. 'used only in times of great need. It can be very destructive.'
'I noticed.' said Jaina. 'So was the rain yours as well?'
'No, Furion has always had that talent. Using the rain to heal injuries is his specialty.' said Tyrande.
This wasn't right. It was so inconceivable to Malfurion that he hardly knew what to think. Had Archimonde given up? Was the prophecy truly in vain? Had the unstoppable Lord of the Legion should failed utterly in his assault? A small hope was coming now into his heart.
Perhaps the night elves truly would remain immortal. Perhaps eternity would not end!
'Menethil.'
The cheers died as that word resounded throughout Mount Hyjal. The flames of hope went out in an instant. Men and woman looked down below with faces pale. The leaders came to the front, and they saw that though most of the Legion had fled, Archimonde remained.
He wasn't moving yet. Just standing there, face very calm. Posture casual, far more casual than anything Malfurion had seen. It was somehow far more terrible than any wrathful boast he had yet made.
'Menethil.' The voice was stronger now, laced with hate.
The leaders assembled as quickly.
'What's happening?' asked Jaina.
Malfurion opened his mouth to speak, yet he found himself unable to.
'We've fallen victim to our very success.' said Illidan. 'Archimonde has nothing left to throw at us. He will come for us himself, soon.'
'The preparations are not done!' said Malfurion. 'It… we need more time.'
Jaina remained silent. 'If we throw everything we have at him we might-'
'It won't make any difference.' said Illidan shaking his head. 'Archimonde is a power beyond the strength of any in this world. He could crush all of us in but a moment.'
'Menethil.'
Archimonde exploded with power. The woods themselves recoiled, the air blurred with the heat of his radiance. He set one foot down, and flames spread out from it, not just blighting the ground, but burning it. He walked forward up the path that the corpses of his army were now lying on.
Fear took hold of everyone.
It was at that point that Thrall returned. Murmurs came from all who saw him, for he seemed to pulse with an energy of his own.
Arthas looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 'Where the hell have you been?'
'I have been communing with the spirits of all things.' said Thrall. 'Plants, animals, and the people who live alongside them. Archimonde will not long stand against us now.'
Archimonde drew near. Trained soldiers threw themselves on their faces and screamed in dismay. Panic overtook the army. Yet Thrall turned around and put forth one hand. As he did so, the earth began to tremble all throughout Mount Hyjal. The clouds darkened even further, and the light of day waned.
Archimonde was upon them.
Then lightning was unleashed from Thrall's hand. It was not a flurry of lightning bolts, nor an ordinary sort of chain lightning. It was a single bolt of lighting so massive that as it surged towards Archimonde, the demon halted. Archimonde raised one hand to block it. For a moment the onslaught of energy was held back, yet soon the ground beneath his feet began to shake. Fire and water surged up from cracks in the earth to scorch him. Lightning bolts poured down from above to strike him.
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There was deafening crack and then was consumed in a massive burst of the elements. Trees all around them shattered and burned beneath the onslaught. Whole sections of the mountains earth were dislodged. They flowed down the mountain in a mudslide. Smoke rose higher and higher, as fires could be seen starting throughout the realm of nature. For a long moment, there was absolute silence.
'…What did you do?' asked Jaina.
'I contacted the spirits of the entire world with my power of far sight.' said Thrall. 'Lordaeron, the Barrens, Ashenvale and so many others. The land itself groaned beneath the Legions efforts. I convinced the spirits there to lend me all the strength they could spare. Then I unleashed it in one single attack upon Archimonde.
'It seems to have worked.'
'He isn't dead.' said Illidan.
'You don't know that-' began Jaina.
'I am blind. I sense life to compensate for the fact.' said Illidan. 'Archimonde is alive.'
'Your perceptive for one who has rotted beneath the earth for ten thousand years.' said Archimonde in a droll tone.
The smoke cleared and Archimonde emerged as a leisurely walk. He was burned in many places and had several serious looking bruises. It had actually done more damage than Malfurion had been expecting. The Archdruid was impressed, despite himself. Then Archimonde raised one hand, a bolt of energy shot forth and took Thrall in the chest. The Warchief cried out and hit the ground.
'Thrall!' cried Jaina, kneeling by his side.
Archimonde approached. 'You orcs are strong and well worth my efforts. I see now why Mannaroth sought to bring you back into the fold. You should surrender and be spared the flame.'
Murmurs of fear came among the orcs, and all eyes turned to Thrall.
'Our spirit… is stronger than you know, demon!' roared Thrall, rising up despite the pain. 'If we are to fall, then so be it! At least now we are free!'
'Fine words for one about to embrace oblivion!' snapped Archimonde.
The Alliance and Horde, the Night Elves and the denizens of Ashenvale had faced many horrors. Yet before the unbridled power which now emerged from the smoke, they could do nothing but flee in terror.
Authors Note:
Okay, so here we have part 2 of Twilight of the Gods. Thrall's spirit assault was something I had planned for a long time. I'm not really sure I'm satisfied with how it came out to be honest. What wasn't planned was Archimonde getting a personal grudge against Arthas.
I guess Arthas has been the most persistent herald of woe for the Legion who Archimonde is aware of. So it makes sense. Also, you may have noticed that Archimonde is offering Jaina and Thrall a chance to join him. This is because he is short on Lieutenants and has a much higher opinion of his enemies.
Enjoy!
Posted by1 year ago
Archived
I like to do (or watch others do) challenges on certain missions from WC3 campaigns. I am interested how many of you have tried such challenges and maybe you can suggest some new ones. Without further ado, here is the list:
RoC Human 5 - March of the Scourge - destroying all Undead bases on what is actually a survival mission.
RoC Human 6 - The Culling - there are 2 challenges that I find interesting: A) one is to destroy the Undead base B) the other is to leave Mal'Ganis with 0 zombies - video here
RoC Human 9 - Frostmourne - defeating Mal'Ganis without Frostmourne but in the end you still must take it to finish the mission.
RoC Undead 7 - The Siege of Dalaran - doing a speedrun of the mission using Arthas and Kel'Thuzad only by killing the 1st and 3rd Archmages.
RoC Undead 8 - Under the Burning Sky - again as in March of the Scourge it is a survival mission where you can destroy all bases before the 30 minutes.
RoC Orc 5 - The Hunter of Shadows - killing Cenarius with normal orcs so that Grom does not betray the Horde.
RoC Orc 8 - By Demons be Driven - doing a speedrun sacrificing your army so that Thrall can go and capture Grom quickly and go back. It is possible to even do this challenge without the Necklace of Spell Immunity.
RoC NE 3 - Awakening of Stormrage - destroying the Undead base in the northwest.
RoC NE 7 - Twilight of the Gods - a couple of challenges here: A) Defending Jaina's base B) Killing Archimonde C) Destroying all buildings
TFT NE 7 - The Ruins of Dalaran - as in By Demons be Driven here you can also do a speedrun with a suicidal attack sacrificing all of your army in the process but still ending up killing the summoners.
TFT NE 8 - Brothers Stormrage - destroying all Undead bases including the green Undead base in the northwest that is unreachable by any army.
TFT Human Secret Level - The Crossing - here you can finish the mission with 100% portal life.
TFT Human 4 - The Search for Illidan - destroying all NE buildings.
TFT Undead 1 - King Arthas - completing the mission with 0 escaped villagers
TFT Undead 5 - Dreadlord's Fall - destroying all bases in less than 8 minutes. Actually this is the original campaign objective but it is still not an easy task.
Twilight Of The Gods Book
TFT Undead 8 - A Symphony of Frost and Flame - destroying all bases including Illidan's base in the northeast.
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Götterdämmerung | |
---|---|
Music drama by Richard Wagner | |
Valhalla in flames, in an 1894 depiction by Max Brückner, one of the original set designers for the opera. | |
Librettist | Richard Wagner |
Language | German |
Premiere | 17 August 1876 |
Götterdämmerung (German: [ˈɡœtɐˌdɛməʁʊŋ](listen); Twilight of the Gods),[1]WWV 86D, is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four music dramas titled Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung, or The Ring for short). It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 17 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of the Ring.
The title is a translation into German of the Old Norse phrase Ragnarök, which in Norse mythology refers to a prophesied war among various beings and gods that ultimately results in the burning, immersion in water, and renewal of the world. However, as with the rest of the Ring, Wagner's account diverges significantly from his Old Norse sources.
- 3Synopsis
Composition[edit]
Roles[edit]
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 17 August 1876 (Conductor: Hans Richter) |
---|---|---|
Siegfried | tenor | Georg Unger |
Brünnhilde | soprano | Amalie Materna |
Gunther | baritone | Eugen Gura |
Gutrune | soprano | Mathilde Weckerlin |
Hagen | bass | Gustav Siehr |
Alberich | baritone | Karl Hill |
Waltraute | mezzo-soprano | Luise Jaide |
First Norn | contralto | Johanna Jachmann-Wagner |
Second Norn | mezzo-soprano | Josephine Schefsky |
Third Norn | soprano | Friederike Grün |
Woglinde | soprano | Lilli Lehmann |
Wellgunde | soprano | Marie Lehmann |
Flosshilde | mezzo-soprano | Minna Lammert |
Vassals, women |
Synopsis[edit]
The Norns vanish (Arthur Rackham, 1911)
Prologue[edit]
The three Norns, daughters of Erda, gather beside Brünnhilde's rock, weaving the rope of Destiny. They sing of the past and the present, and of the future when Wotan will set fire to Valhalla to signal the end of the gods. Without warning, their rope breaks. Lamenting the loss of their wisdom, the Norns disappear.
As day breaks, Siegfried and Brünnhilde emerge from their cave, high on a mountaintop surrounded by magic fire. Brünnhilde sends Siegfried off to new adventures, urging him to keep their love in mind. As a pledge of fidelity, Siegfried gives her the ring of power that he took from Fafner's hoard. Bearing Brünnhilde's shield and mounting her horse Grane, Siegfried rides away as an orchestral interlude (Siegfried's Journey to the Rhine) starts.
Act 1[edit]
Brünnhilde is visited by her Valkyrie sister Waltraute (Arthur Rackham, 1912)
The act begins in the Hall of the Gibichungs, a population dwelling by the Rhine. Gunther, lord of the Gibichungs, sits enthroned. His half-brother and chief minister, Hagen, advises him to find a wife for himself and a husband for their sister Gutrune. He suggests Brünnhilde for Gunther's wife, and Siegfried for Gutrune's husband. He reminds Gutrune that he has given her a potion that she can use to make Siegfried forget Brünnhilde and fall in love with Gutrune; under its influence, Siegfried will win Brünnhilde for Gunther. Gunther and Gutrune agree enthusiastically with this plan.
Siegfried appears at Gibichung Hall, seeking to meet Gunther. Gunther extends his hospitality to the hero, and Gutrune offers him the love potion. Unaware of the deception, Siegfried toasts Brünnhilde and their love. Drinking the potion, he loses his memory of Brünnhilde and falls in love with Gutrune instead. In his drugged state, Siegfried offers to win a wife for Gunther, who tells him about Brünnhilde and the magic fire which only a fearless person can cross. They swear blood-brotherhood (Hagen holds the drinking horn in which they mix their blood, but he does not join in the oath) and leave for Brünnhilde's rock. Hagen, left on guard duty, gloats that his so-called masters are unwittingly bringing the ring to him (Monologue: Hagen's watch).
Meanwhile, Brünnhilde is visited by her Valkyrie sister Waltraute, who tells her that Wotan returned from his wanderings with his spear shattered. Wotan is dismayed at losing his spear, as it has all the treaties and bargains he has made—everything that gives him power—carved into its shaft. Wotan ordered branches of the World tree, to be piled around Valhalla; sent his magic ravens to spy on the world and bring him news; and currently waits in Valhalla for the end. Waltraute begs Brünnhilde to return the ring to the Rhinemaidens, since the ring's curse is now affecting their father, Wotan. However, Brünnhilde refuses to relinquish Siegfried's token of love, and Waltraute rides away in despair.
Siegfried arrives, disguised as Gunther by using the Tarnhelm, and claims Brünnhilde as his wife. Though Brünnhilde resists violently, Siegfried overpowers her, snatching the ring from her hand and placing it on his own.
Act 2[edit]
Stage design by Josef Hoffmann for original production in 1876 – Act II, last scene.
Hagen, waiting by the bank of the Rhine, is visited in his semi-waking sleep (sitting up, eyes open, but motionless) by his father, Alberich. On Alberich's urging, he swears to kill Siegfried and acquire the ring. Alberich exits as dawn breaks. Siegfried arrives via Tarnhelm-magic, having resumed his natural form and left Brünnhilde on the boat with Gunther. Hagen summons the Gibichung vassals to welcome Gunther and his bride. He does this by sounding the war-alarm. The vassals are surprised to learn that the occasion is not battle, but their master's wedding and party.
Gunther leads in a downcast Brünnhilde, who is astonished to see Siegfried. Noticing the ring on Siegfried's hand, she realizes she has been betrayed—that the man who conquered her was not Gunther, but Siegfried in disguise. She denounces Siegfried in front of Gunther's vassals and accuses Siegfried of having seduced her himself. Siegfried, who does not remember ever having been Brünhilde's lover, swears on Hagen's spear that her accusations are false. Brünnhilde seizes the tip of the spear and swears that they are true. Once again Hagen supervises silently as others take oaths to his advantage. But this time, since the oath is sworn on a weapon, the understanding is that if the oath is proven false, the weapon's owner should avenge it by killing the perjurer with that weapon. Siegfried then leads Gutrune and the bystanders off to the wedding feast, leaving Brünnhilde, Hagen, and Gunther alone by the shore. Deeply shamed by Brünnhilde's outburst, Gunther agrees to Hagen's suggestion that Siegfried must be killed in order for Gunther to regain his standing. Brünnhilde, seeking revenge for Siegfried's manifest treachery, joins the plot and tells Hagen that Siegfried would be vulnerable to a stab in the back. Hagen and Gunther decide to lure Siegfried on a hunting-trip and murder him. They sing a trio in which Brünnhilde and Gunther vow in the name of Wotan, 'guardian of oaths', to kill Siegfried, while Hagen repeats his pledge to Alberich: to acquire the ring and rule the world through its power.
Act 3[edit]
'The Rhinemaidens warn Siegfried' (Arthur Rackham, 1912)
In the woods by the bank of the Rhine, the Rhinemaidens mourn the lost Rhine gold. Siegfried happens by, separated from the hunting party. The Rhinemaidens urge him to return the ring and avoid its curse, but he laughs at them and says he prefers to die rather than bargain for his life. They swim away, predicting that Siegfried will die and that his heir, a lady, will treat them more fairly.
Siegfried rejoins the hunters, who include Gunther and Hagen. While resting, he tells them about the adventures of his youth. Hagen gives him another potion, which restores his memory, and he tells of discovering the sleeping Brünnhilde and awakening her with a kiss. Hagen stabs him in the back with his spear. The others look on in horror, and Hagen explains in three words ('Meineid rächt' ich!' – 'I have avenged perjury!') that since Siegfried admitted loving Brünnhilde, the oath he swore on Hagen's spear was obviously false, therefore it was Hagen's duty to kill him with it. Hagen calmly walks away into the wood. Siegfried recollects his awakening of Brünnhilde and dies. His body is carried away in a solemn funeral procession (Siegfried's funeral march) that forms the interlude as the scene is changed and recapitulates many of the themes associated with Siegfried and the Wälsungs.
Back in the Gibichung Hall, Gutrune awaits Siegfried's return. Hagen arrives ahead of the funeral party. Gutrune is devastated when Siegfried's corpse is brought in. Gunther blames Siegfried's death on Hagen, who replies that Siegfried had incurred the penalty of his false oath, and further, claims the ring on Siegfried's finger by right of conquest. When Gunther objects, Hagen appeals to the vassals to support his claim. Gunther draws his sword but Hagen attacks and easily kills him. However, as Hagen moves to take the ring, Siegfried's hand rises threateningly. Hagen recoils in fear.
Twilight Of The Gods Warcraft 3 Strategy
Brünnhilde makes her entrance and issues orders for a huge funeral pyre to be assembled by the river (the start of the Immolation Scene). She takes the ring and tells the Rhinemaidens to claim it from her ashes, once fire has cleansed it of its curse. Lighting the pyre with a firebrand, she sends Wotan's ravens home with 'anxiously longed-for tidings', and to fly by the magic fire for Loge to fulfill his task. After an apostrophe to the dead hero, Brünnhilde mounts her horse Grane and rides into the flames.
A sequence of leitmotifs portray the fire flaring up, and the hall of the Gibichungs catching fire and collapsing. The Rhine overflows its banks, quenching the fire, and the Rhinemaidens swim in to claim the ring. Hagen tries to stop them but they drag him into the depths and drown him. As they celebrate the return of the ring and its gold to the river, a red glow is seen in the sky. As the Gibichungs watch, the interior of Valhalla is finally seen, with gods and heroes visible as described by Waltraute in Act 1. Flames flare up in the Hall of the Gods, hiding it and them from sight completely. As the gods are consumed in the flames, the curtain falls to the sound of the Erlösungsmotif—the redemption leitmotif.
Noted excerpts[edit]
Performed December 8–11, 1981 by the United States Marine Corps Band (10:30) | |
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Two extended orchestral selections—'Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey', an abridged excerpt from the Prologue without the singers; and 'Siegfried's Funeral March', lifted uncut from act 3—are often presented outside the opera house, and are published separately from the lengthy work. Early versions of these selections were approved by Wagner. These excerpts include specially composed endings so that the excerpt is better able to stand on its own as a complete composition.
Other notable excerpts include:
- Siegfried and Brünnhilde's duet (Prologue). This is part of 'Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey'.
- Hagen's Watch (Act 1)
- Hagen summons the vassals and the Wedding March (Act 2)
- Brünnhilde's Immolation Scene (Act 3) as a soprano solo with orchestra (Hagen's single line is omitted).
According to Albert Speer, the Berlin Philharmonic's last performance before their evacuation from Berlin at the end of World War II in Europe was of Brünnhilde's Immolation Scene at the end of the opera.[2]
Analysis[edit]
Robert A. Hall, Jr. has analysed the opera in terms of cultural symbolism.[3] Hermann Danuser has discussed the dramaturgy of the ending of Götterdämmerung in the context of the entire Ring cycle.[4]William Kinderman has evaluated a large-scale instance of musical recapitulation in Act III of the opera.[5] Warren J. Darcy has expostulated on the potential influence of Wagner's readings of the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer on the music of the Ring cycle, particularly on the ending of Götterdämmerung.[6]
The historian John Roberts suggested that the killing of Siegfried by Hagen with a stab in the back gave inspiration for the myth that the German Army did not lose World War I, but was instead defeated by a treasonous 'stab in the back' from civilians, in particular Jews and Socialists.[7]
The great German bass Kurt Moll pointed out that the part of the principal villain, Hagen, is unique in the bass repertoire: it requires a shouting, blaring vocal technique which risks damaging the singer's voice; only very large-voiced, powerful singers can sing it. Moll himself avoided the role.[8]
Recordings[edit]
References[edit]
Notes
- ^The work has sometimes been called in English 'Dusk of the Gods' or 'Doom of the Gods', but 'Twilight of the Gods' correctly translates the German title. Dämmerung can also mean 'dawn' as the term is used for both the rising and setting of the sun. Götterdämmerung is itself a translation of ragnarökkr, 'Twilight of the Gods', as it is sometimes written in the Prose Edda. In the older Poetic Edda only ragnarök, 'Fate of the Gods', is mentioned. It has been proposed that ragnarökkr was either a misconception on Snorri Sturluson's part or, more likely, poetic license as a play between the words rök, 'fate, doom', and rökkr, 'darkness, twilight.'
- ^Speer, Albert. Inside the Third Reich, The Macmillan Company. 1970, p. 463
- ^Hall, Robert A., Jr. (May 1963). 'The Psychological Motivation of Wagner's Götterdämmerung'. The German Quarterly. 36 (3): 245–257. JSTOR402543.
- ^Danuser, Hermann (Summer 1994). 'Musical Manifestations of the End in Wagner and in Post-Wagnerian Weltanschauungsmusik'. 19th-Century Music. 18 (1): 64–82. JSTOR746602.
- ^Kinderman, William (Autumn 1980). 'Dramatic Recapitulation in Wagner's Götterdämmerung'. 19th-Century Music. 4 (2): 101–112. JSTOR746708.
- ^Darcy, Warren J. (Spring 1994). 'The Metaphysics of Annihilation: Wagner, Schopenhauer, and the Ending of the Ring'. Music Theory Spectrum. 16 (1): 1–40. JSTOR745828.
- ^Roberts, J. M. (1999). Twentieth Century: The History of the World, 1901 to the Present. London: Allen Lane/The Penguin Press. p. 289. ISBN0-713-99257-3.
- ^'Kurt Moll Interview with Bruce Duffie . . . . .'www.bruceduffie.com.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Götterdämmerung. |
- Richard Wagner – Götterdämmerung. A gallery of historic postcards with motifs from Richard Wagner's operas.
- Wagner Operas. A comprehensive website featuring photographs of productions, recordings, librettos, and sound files.
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