Before there was Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, there was Richard Wagner’s The Ring of Nibelung. Infused with ancient Norse and Germanic myths, the composer’s epic opera cycle deals in power, corruption, and uncontrollable destruction. At its center is a ring forged from the enchanted riches of the Rhine river. All who look upon it will do anything to possess it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices