Libretto, in two languages
The full German libretto alongside an English translation by Margaret Armour, aligned to the score so the text moves with the music.
The Ring App
A listening and reading companion for Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle.
- I.Das RheingoldVorabend
- II.Die WalküreErster Tag
- III.SiegfriedZweiter Tag
- IV.GötterdämmerungDritter Tag
What it does
130+ leitmotifs
Wagner's recurring musical figures: the Ring, the Sword, the Spear, visualized within the libretto, and browsable on their own as a thematic atlas.
Synced to the recording
Follow along to understand the drama. Tap a line to immediately start listening from a new moment.
Search & history
Find a phrase in either language and step through every occurrence. A back button lets you get back to listening.
Synopses & scholarship
Plot summaries, character lists, and discussion of the music and its making. Provided by Wikipedia, no browser detour required. (Requires live internet connection.)
An art gallery
A century of paintings, set designs, and engravings of the cycle, Rackham, Burne-Jones, Fantin-Latour and the rest, collected for unhurried viewing.
Piano score
See a digital score of a piano reduction by Richard Kleinmichel of the entire opera, synced with the music. Examine the score in detail and listen with MIDI.
The recordings
Solti · Vienna Philharmonic
Launches with Sir Georg Solti's landmark studio cycle, the recording John Culshaw built over seven years at the Sofiensaal concert hall.
More performances to follow.
Apple Music required
The app does not ship with audio. It plays the cycle from your Apple Music subscription, which keeps the experience legal, lossless, and in your pocket. An active subscription is required.
Inspired by The Ring Disc
The 1997 "The Ring Disc" gathered the Solti recording, the libretto, leitmotifs, and commentary into a cohesive software product delivered on CD-ROM. We are following in their footsteps.
