Exploring Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung (Opera Journeys Mini Guide Series)

Rating:
Summary: Little Golden Books: The Ring Cycle
Review: In reading this book, it is important to remember the name of the series: Opera Journeys Mini Guide. It is just that: an extremely basic description of Wagner's Ring Cycle. Why anyone would even attempt to summarize roughly sixteen hours of music in so few pages is beyond me, but since that attempt has here been made, the author has opened himself to criticism.

In this book, we are treated primarily to a history lesson, not a music lesson. Mr. Fisher's discussion of Germanic history and the Nibelungenlied is, certainly, authoritative and fascinating, if a bit abbreviated. His discussion of the Ring itself, ostensibly the subject of the book, is nearly non-existent. Nowhere is there any character analysis or plot synopsis.

A typical selection: the race of Giants is properly explained as a representation of the "bloated bourgeoisie" Wagner hated. The Gods are "the incarnation of corrupt contemporary politicians," which is certainly true. The Nibelungs, or dwarfs, however, are described as "the incarnation of all forces of materialism for which money is power." This is a convenient way of skirting Wagner's virulent obsession: anti-semitism. This issue, so important to understanding why Wagner's Ring is revered and hated by many at the same time.

This book makes it clear that The Ring is a powerful statement on the world as Wagner saw it; the entire cycle is an allegory. More discussion of that allegory would surely lead to a better understanding of the work as a whole.

In short: those looking for a Cliff's Notes on the Ring should look elsewhere. Those looking for a discussion of Wagner should look elsewhere. Those seeking a discussion of Wagner's work in musical context should look elsewhere.