From Newsgroup: rec.music.opera

On Thursday, February 13, 1997 at 3:00:00rC>AM UTC-5, eac...@aol.com wrote:

In article <32F6A7...@mailbox.swipnet.se>, Olaf wrote:

I am not quite sure what the difference is between "ersterben" and plain "sterben" though. <<

From Muret-Sanders German-English dictionary, vol.1, p.517: "ersterben. lit. 1. die, expire: jedes Leben erstirbt all life (gradually) dies. -2. vor Ehrfurcht [ersterben] fig. to be benumbed (or filled) with awe, to be awestruck (or awestricken). -3. fig. (von Ger|nusch, Gef|+hl, etc.) die (away), fade (away)"
From this, I guess that Wagner's instruction is that Gutrune should slowly cease to move, and in such a way as to express an awestruck emotion at what has been transpiring. --E.A.C.

Thanks to all for taking the trouble.
Very illuminating discussion clinched by entseeltunpacking
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