Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

his ring. Next day, the girls are brought forth by their father; but the two elder shriek at the sight of
the ugly monster, and turn from him with loathing. The youngest maiden, however, whose name is
Louise, is so filled with pity for the unhappy stranger that, on hearing his appeal to her to be his
saviour, her heart is deeply touched, and she agrees to accept the half ring he offers her, and
promises to remain true to him for three years, at the end of which time he will return and wed her.
Full of gratitude, Hans breaks the ring and gives her half, putting the other half upon his own
finger, where it clings firmly; and then, after a sharp struggle with the villagers because they think
him to be closely in league with the Devil, and are furious because of his compact with the
maiden, Louise, Hans hastens away.
In Act 3 the three years of waiting are over; and, the ring on Hans finger being still found bright,
the Devil, very much against his will, is forced to permit his imps to wash off the black and grime
from the sufferers face, and to relieve him of his hideous bearskin disguise. He tries to gain his
soul in other ways, by various temptations; but Hans, determined not to fall under such evil
influence again, firmly resists all, and hastens away to the wars once more, where, with his
renewed moral and physical strength, he gains great honour and glory. Finally, he returns to the
neighbourhood of Louises home, and wins the gratitude and praise of the peasants by saving their
village and the adjacent town from enemies who have long besieged it. He is now acclaimed as a
great hero by the thankful people; but Hans leaves them to their revels and seeks out Louise,
whom he finds bemoaning her sad fate, because, having given her word to remain faithful to a
hideous stranger for three years until he returns to claim her, she dares not come out to greet the
hero, to whom her heart has already gone out, having beheld him from a distance. Hans, however,
soon brings joy to her by revealing himself as the one-time miserable Bearskin, whom she has
restored to honour and happiness by her loving fidelity; and the opera ends with the betrothal of
the happy pair.
192. THE KOBOLD (THE GOBLIN)
Fantastic Opera in Three Acts By Siegfried Wagner
Libretto By the Composer
First Produced Harmburg, January, 1904
Chief Characters Vevena, The Countess, Friedrich, The Count, Seelschen (The Goblin), Eckhart,
Trutz
THE story of this opera is not very well constructed, many of the incidents being somewhat
irrelevant and meaningless; and consequently the action is not so clear and satisfactory as might be
desired.
In Act 1, Vevena, a beautiful maiden, is seen sleeping in a garden, where she is visited by
Seelschen, a Goblin, who implores her to rescue him from a curse under which he suffers, by
giving her life for one she loves; and he throws into her lap a talisman-jewel, which he hopes may
lead her into the snares he desires. The sleeping maiden pays no heed to him, however; but when
the Goblin has departed, believing his talisman will work his will, Vevena is awakened by
Eckhart, one of her attendants, to whom she relates the foregoing incident as a curious dream.
Vevena has fallen in love with Friedrich, a strolling player; and when her mother opposes the