Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 09:56:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: "John B. Morgan" <jbmorgan-AT-umich.edu>
Subject: Eternal Recurrence


On the subject of the "eternal return," I just watched the first part of 
the recent Barenboim production of Wagner's Ring (Bayreuth 1992) on 
laserdisc, and found what I believe is a link to this idea. 
Traditionally, the Ring opens onto a completely dark stage with only 
music playing, with the Rhinemaidens and Alberich emerging when the 
dramatic action begins. In this production, however, the curtain rises on 
a silent stage set up as the end of the last scene of the Ring, with the 
dwarf Alberich lying unmoving at the front of the stage. Then the lights go 
down, the music begins, and when his cue arrives during the first scene  
Alberich, who has remained motionless on stage throughout the prelude, simply
stands up and begins his part. I found this interpretation of the Ring
interesting, esp. considering the Wagner-Nietzsche connection. The idea 
that the Ring Cycle can be seen as a drama that ends where it begins, 
with the dwarf Alberich as the perpetuator of it all (he is the only 
character to survive the whole cycle), is not a new one in Wagner 
scholarship, although I've never seen it made an essential part of a
production before. This caused me to think of the possible significance of the
fact that, in ZARATHUSTRA it is a dwarf who informs Z. of the eternal 
return (sorry for the lack of an exact reference, but I have none of my 
books here) and that perhaps this is some sort of reference to the 
earlier Ring. I know that Nietzsche and Wagner had thoroughly broken by 
this time, and I don't necessarily want to draw a connection where there may
not be one, but I wouldn't rule it out either. I suppose the important
question is, if true, what significance does this have for understanding ER?
Unfortunately I don't have the time to speculate at the moment, but perhaps
other people might comment on this idea, or on whether they think it has 
any validity at all.

John Morgan, Research Secretary   "I care not whether a man is Good or Evil;
The University of Michigan         all that I care is whether he is a
Alzheimer's Disease Research       Wise man or a Fool."             
Center (MADRC)                                  --William Blake
jbmorgan-AT-umich.edu                                               
  






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