Rhinemaidens
Three nixie sisters who guard the Rhine gold.
The Rhinemaidens are the three nixie sisters—Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde—who appear in Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. They are among the characters in the cycle who did not originate in the Old Norse Eddas; Wagner created them from other legends and myths, most notably the Nibelungenlied. They are the first characters seen in the four-opera cycle, appearing in the opening scene of Das Rheingold, and return in the final climactic spectacle of Götterdämmerung, when they rise from the Rhine waters to reclaim the ring from the ashes of the funeral pyre. Their flawed guardianship of the Rhine gold and the condition of renouncing love through which the gold could be stolen are wholly Wagner's invention, and these elements initiate and propel the entire drama.
- Known for
- Guardians of the Rhine gold; first characters seen in the Ring cycle
Lore & Background
The Rhinemaidens are the three nixie sisters—Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde—who appear in Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. They are among the characters in the cycle who did not originate in the Old Norse Eddas; Wagner created them from other legends and myths, most notably the Nibelungenlied, which contains stories involving water sprites or mermaids of the Danube. Their individual names are Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde, although they are generally treated as a single entity and act together accordingly. The key concepts associated with them—their flawed guardianship of the Rhine gold, and the condition (the renunciation of love) through which the gold could be stolen and transformed into a means of obtaining world power—are wholly Wagner's own invention, and are the elements that initiate and propel the entire drama.
Reader's Guide
The Rhinemaidens are the first and last characters seen in the four-opera cycle, appearing both in the opening scene of Das Rheingold and in the final climactic spectacle of Götterdämmerung, when they rise from the Rhine waters to reclaim the ring from Brünnhilde's ashes. They have been described as morally innocent, yet they display a range of sophisticated emotions, including some that are far from guileless. Seductive and elusive, they have no relationship to any of the other characters, and no indication is given as to how they came into existence, beyond occasional references to an unspecified 'father'. The various musical themes associated with the Rhinemaidens are regarded as among the most lyrical in the entire Ring cycle, bringing to it rare instances of comparative relaxation and charm. The music contains important melodies and phrases which are reprised and developed elsewhere in the operas to characterise other individuals and circumstances, and to relate plot developments to the source of the narrative. It is reported that Wagner played the Rhinemaidens' lament at the piano on the night before he died in Venice, in 1883.
Did You Know?
- The Rhinemaidens are among the characters in the Ring cycle who did not originate in the Old Norse Eddas.
- Wagner first adapted the story for use in his early libretto of Siegfried's Death, introducing three unnamed water-maids located in the Rhine.
- The name Bronnlinde was changed to Woglinde, probably to avoid confusion with Brünnhilde.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Rhinemaidens?
They are three nixie sisters—Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde—who serve as the guardians of the gold hoarded in the depths of the Rhine. Wagner introduced them as the very first characters the audience encounters across the entire four-opera cycle.
What is the Rhinemaidens' role in Der Ring des Nibelungen?
Their primary function is to protect the Rhine gold and, by extension, the ring forged from it. They act as a narrative bookend, appearing at both the very opening and the very close of the cycle.
In which opera do the Rhinemaidens first appear?
They open Das Rheingold, the first of the four operas, singing in the dark waters before any other character is revealed. Their scene establishes the central object of desire that drives the entire conflict.
Did Wagner base the Rhinemaidens on Norse mythology?
No—unlike many other figures in the Ring, the three sisters do not originate in the Old Norse Eddas. Wagner drew on a wider range of Germanic legend, most notably the Nibelungenlied, to create them.
More in Nixies 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced