Die Feen (The Fairies), by Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner (born 1813 and died 1883) studied in Dresden and Leipzig and later worked as a musical director in the opera houses of Riga, Magdeburg, Wurzburg and Konigsberg. Here, he gained incredible experience as a director, which allowed him to compose such incredibly moving operas.

Wagner probably gained his love for the theatre and drama from Ludwig Geyer. His first attendance of an opera was when he was five years old.

The Fairies was the first of his operas; he completed 13 operas of music dramas. It is a grosse romantische Oper in three acts. The libretto was produced by Richard Wagner which he based on Carlo Gozzi’s play, La donna serpent (The Snake Woman). It first premiered on the 29th June 1888 in Munich at the Hoftheatre. The setting is in a fairy tale time and place.

The Fairies was never performed whilst Wagner was alive; he gave the libretto to his patron, King Ludwig II, but he never saw it himself on stage. The Fairies was finally produced in 1888 in Munich to honour the brilliant composer, despite the opposition from his widow, Cosima, who did not want The Fairies to be produced.

Characters:

The Fairy King (Bass)

Ada, his daughter who is the wife of Arindal (Soprano)

Arindal, Prince of Tramond (Tenor)

Lora, his sister (Soprano)

Morald, the commander of the army and Lora’s lover (Baritone)

Drolla, Lora’s companion (Soprano)

Gernot, Arindal’s servant (Bass)

Farzana and Zemina, fairies (Soprano, Soprano)

Gunther, from the court of Tramond (Tenor)

Harald, Arindal’s general (Bass)

Two Children of Ada and arindal (silent)

Fairies, Morald’s companions, warriors, earth spirits, men of iron, and the invisible spirits of Groma (the chorus).

Synopsis:

Whilst out hunting, Prince Arindal loses his way in the forest. A doe leads him into the realm of the fairies. He lives very happily with Ada, who is a half-mortal, half-fairy being. Lilving with her for eight years, he was instructed not in inquire after Ada’s origins. However, Arindal succumbs to the temptation and asks after her parentage. Prince Arindal is then banished from the fair realm but Ada follows him. However, Arindal’s faith in his wife lessens and he is the cause of her being turned to stone. Despite this, Arindal, through magic and self-sacrifice, liberates her. He renounces his earthly kingdom and the couple return united to the realm of the fairies.