text: Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung ) is a cycle of four epic operas ( or `` dramas '' to use the composer 's preferred term ) by the German composer Richard Wagner ( 1813 â `` 83 ) .
simplified: Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung ( Alberich ) ) is a cycle of four operas by Richard Wagner .