Das Rheingold

Das Rheingold is the first part in the opera Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Story
The dwarf Alberich tries to woo the Rheintöchter, who laugh at him. When the sun shines on the gold in the river Rhine, das Rheingold, they explain to him that world power comes to someone who says no to love and instead makes a ring of the gold. Alberich steals the Rheingold from the Rheintöchter and makes a ring of it.

Loge and Wotan steal the Rheingold and the ring from Alberich to pay the giants Fafner and Fasolt for building Walhall. They fool Alberich to use Tarnhelm to change himself into a toad, which they easily can defeat. Alberich gives everything to Wotan, but curses the ring: “Wer ihn besitzt, den sehre die Sorge und wer ihn nicht hat, den nage der Neid.”

The giants Fafner and Fasolt had been promised Freia for building Walhall. The gods backtrack on their promise and instead offer the giants the Rheingold, the big treasure, they have stolen from Alberich. The giants also want the Ring, which Wotan has. At first Wotan refuses, and says that they can have Freia, but after Erda warns him that this is not a good idea, he gives them the Ring. Fafner and Fasolt fight over the gold, and Fafner kills Fasolt.