The word “Sieg” is a part of both Siegfried (Sigurd) and his father’s name (Siegmund); in German, the word means “victory” and “fried” means “guardian”.
The “Velsung” saga continues with Siegfried, Siegmund’s son; the latter perishes in battle with Odin, after the god breaks his sword into pieces. Through fire and magic, Siegfried forges the sword anew using its remnants and names it Nothung.
This myth dates back to the 13th century. During that same time, the saga becomes a part of the German national epos.
Siegfried is the hero who slays the dragon Fafnir. It is noted that after bathing in the monster’s blood, Siegfried becomes invincible except for a spot on his back which the blood hadn’t reached, that being his weakness. This immediately invites references to Greek mythology and the hero Achilles.
The opera “Siegfried” was performed in Bulgaria for the first time on 22.05.2012 under the directorship of Erich Wächter and with director Plamen Kartaloff.
Get your tickets here: https://www.operasofia.bg/repertoire/WAGNER_FESTIVAL