The Rhinemaidens, described as the “most seductive but elusive characters,” bookend Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle, from its start in Rhinegold to its conclusion in Götterdämmerung. Their negligence in protecting the river’s gold sets off the epic’s cosmic power struggles. Jim Holman, Chairman of the Wagner Society of Washington D.C. since 1998, explores the Rhinemaidens’ significance in Wagner’s music and
themes. The Society, collaborating with entities like the German Embassy and the Smithsonian Institute, fosters Wagnerian scholarship and appreciation.