The Nibelung’s Ring: Prelude

(Theme music:  “Vorspiel” from Das Rheingold)

Some years ago, back when I was blogging on The Archdruid Report, I mentioned in passing that if I ever got tired of having a large readership, I would do a series of posts on Richard Wagner’s opera cycle The Nibelung’s Ring. That was partly a joke, but only partly, and for various reasons I’ve decided to go ahead with it now, without regard for its effect on my views-per-page.  In more senses than one, we live in Wagnerian times; the blend of genuin...