Short answers, pulled from the story.
Richard Wagner began writing the libretto for his Ring cycle in 1848. He continued composing music and text until 1874, a process that spanned twenty-six years of intense labor.
Wagner wrote for an orchestra including the Wagner tuba, bass trumpet, and double slide contrabass trombone. The ensemble features sixteen first violins, sixteen second violins, eight horns, six harps, and four timpani played by two musicians.
The Nibelung dwarf Alberich forged the magic ring from gold stolen from Rhine maidens in the river Rhine. The god Loge helped Wotan steal the ring from Alberich before it was handed over to giants Fafner and Fasolt.
A complete performance took place at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus from the 13th of August to the 17th of August 1876. Das Rheingold premiered first on the 13th of August and Götterdämmerung ended the cycle on the 17th of August that year.
Patrice Chéreau directed the famous centennial production of 1976 known as Jahrhundertring set during the Industrial Revolution. Hydroelectric power dams replaced depths of Rhine and grimy sets featured men and gods in nineteenth and twentieth century business suits.