Die Rheinnixen

Die Rheinnixen (French: Les fées du Rhin; English The Rhine Nixies) is a romantic opera in four acts by Jacques Offenbach.

The original libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter was translated into German by Alfred von Wolzogen [de].

[1] The first performance was given in a truncated form (owing to the illness of the tenor Alois Ander)[2] on 4 February 1864 at the Hoftheater in Vienna (Theater am Kärntnertor).

The first full performance was given in concert at the Corum, Montpellier, on 30 July 2002 with Regina Schörg (Armgard), Nora Gubisch (Hedwig), Piotr Beczała (Franz), Dalibor Jenis (Conrad), and Peter Klaveness (Gottfried), and the Orchestre National de Montpellier, conducted by Friedemann Layer,[3] which was recorded.

Hedwig tells Gottfried that she fears for the safety of their lands: she curses war, and worries about her daughter Armgard's melancholy frame of mind.

Armgard sings constantly to conceal a hidden grief, and Hedwig recounts a ballad of the fate of young women who sang too much.

Armgard is, however, unable to accept his devotion, as she reveals that Franz Baldung, her true love, has joined a troop of mercenaries led by the violent Conrad von Wenckheim.

Gottfried offers to help bring Franz back, but the peace is broken by the news that plundering mercenaries have attacked nearby farmsteads.

The pillaging troops led by Conrad enter, singing of wine and women, along with Franz, delirious, having lost his memory after a blow to his head, and recalling little of his previous existence.

The folk legend decrees that Armgard's ghost will go off at dusk to join elves at the enchanted stone in the forest.

After Franz has threatened suicide unless he sees Armgard, whom he thinks is now a fairy, she enters, explains all that has happened, and they are reconciled in their love.

Where proud castles are enthroned, Where faithful people live, Where everyone loves to sing: There, on the beautiful green Rhine, Life must be full of delight!

Offenbach: Les fées du Rhin (in German) – Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Sources