The opera cycle, The Ring of the Nibelung , by Richard Wagner, stands as one of the greatest achievements in the history of music. Wagner based his Ring cycle on tales from Norse and German mythology after studying ancient legends of gods, demigods, and earthly beings. He spent years writing and shaping his material, the result was an epic story, heroic and exalted, told through his stirring music. Clyde Robert Bulla tells the stories that make up The Ring of the Nibelung cycle: The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried, The Dusk of the Gods. Magical and mysterious, they are larger than life, yet based on human emotions. He brings Wagner's epic tale of love, hate, greed, and goodness, to life simply but dramatically. Bulla includes musical themes from the four operas, and writes of Wagner's life and his struggles to break with tradition, creating a new form of opera-the music drama. Readers who love lore and legends, and readers who admire Wagner's music will welcome the simple beauty of Bulla's powerful tales. Strikingly illustrated with woodcuts by Clare and John Ross.