What is Siegfried (opera)?
'''''Siegfried''''' is an [[opera]] by [[Richard Wagner]]. It is the third of the four operas that together tell a story called ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]'' (''The Ring of the Nibelung''). The story continues from the end of the second opera which was called ''[[Die Walküre]]''. The first performance of ''Siegfried'' took place when the whole Ring cycle (all four operas) were performed in the [[Festspielhaus]] in [[Bayreuth]] on 16 August [[1876]]. == The story of the opera == === Act One === [[File:Siegfried.jpg|left|thumb|A 19th century performance with Siegfried (Heinrich Gudehus) forging his sword (Nothung)]] The first part of the opera takes place in a [[forest]] where the [[giant]] Fafner lives. He has used the magic tarn [[helmet]] to change himself into a [[dragon]] so that he can guard the [[treasure]] of the [[gold]] and the [[ring]] (we saw how he got the treasure in the first opera, ''[[Das Rheingold]]''). Siegfried, who was not yet born at the end of the second opera, ''Die Walküre'', is now a young lad. He has been brought up by the [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarf]] Mime, Alberich's brother. Mime is just as horrible as his brother. Mime is hammering away at the [[anvil]], trying to repair the [[sword]] that was smashed to pieces by Wotan in Act Two of ''Die Walküre''. He wants to make the bits into a strong sword, but every time he thinks he has managed it Siegfried picks up the sword and breaks it with his strength. The reason that Mime wants to make the sword is so that he can give it to Siegfried (who is obviously the hero who is meant to have the sword in the end) and tell him to fight the dragon. Then Mime will be able to get the ring from him so that he can have power over all the world. When Siegfried enters he brings a [[bear]] from the forest. The bear chases Mime and Siegfried laughs. Then he lets the bear go free. Mime says to Siegfried that he should be thankful to him for looking after him as a child and bringing him up. He has never told Siegfried who his [[parent]]s were (they wer