La ricezione del Nibelungenlied: dal carme all’operetta

The Song of the Nibelungs inspired many works about Siegfried and the Burgundians. Their most famous episodes, such as Siegfried’s fight against a dragon, his marriage to Kriemhild, and his tricks for helping Gunther win Brunhild’s hand are narrated in all modern adaptations of the story. Despite the tragic plot, the Song became Germany’s most important epic poem thanks to the noble conduct of its characters, and it instilled a strong sense of patriotism in German people. This paper intends to briefly present the most famous theatrical adaptations of the Song which appeared on stage between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. They are all strongly influenced by the political situation. Moreover, this paper analyses the Austrian operetta Die lustigen Nibelungen, which deals with the Prussian way of life and the social and political situation in Europe with irony.