Unique in the history of opera, The Ring of the Nibelung is the colossal tetralogy Richard Wagner worked on for thirty years. First performed in 1869, the Prologue The Rhinegold unveils from its first telluric chord a world riddled with existential questions. Who will obtain the power of the ring forged from the gold of the Rhine? The gods, the giants or the Nibelungen?

Borrowing from Norse and Germanic mythology, Wagner conceived an extraordinary cycle that reflected his innovative ambition: to create a total work of art inspired by ancient tragedy. As well as revolutionising the art of opera, he also devised theatrical material open to multiple interpretations.

Director Calixto Bieito places The Rhinegold in a context dominated by digital virtuality and questions the impact of technology and science on human beings.