Erik Levi explains that the opera: "presents a synthesis of Romantic and impressionist elements.
It marks a ... return to the conception of opera as a sequence of closed forms, incorporating ... stylistic features related to madrigal, oratorio and pantomime.
"[1] It was first performed on 13 April 1940, at the Semperoper, Dresden, under the musical direction of Karl Böhm, who also commissioned the work, with Maria Cebotari as Julia, and was a considerable success.
[1] It was also performed at Sadler's Wells in London on 12 March 1953, conducted by James Robertson.
In the final scene, a celestial chorus celebrate the union in death of the two lovers.