The libretto, by Franz Carl Hiemer [de], is a reworking of an earlier, unsuccessful opera by Weber, Das Waldmädchen.

[3] It is the earliest Weber opera to have survived in its complete form; older operatic works are either fragmentary or entirely lost.

Weber used a melody from a discarded aria for the opera to compose the popular Seven Variations on a Theme from Silvana for clarinet and piano.

The opera opens to horns and a huntsmen's chorus as Count Rudolph von Helfenstein and his followers are enjoying a bear hunt.

As Krips hides, his aria describes his feelings and the action as Rudolf goes into the cave and then leads a girl, Silvana, out.

Silvana falls asleep and Rudolf has his men quietly carry her to Count Adelhart's castle nearby where he is staying as a guest.

Count Adelhart believes that Hanns von Cleeburg robbed him of his second daughter Ottilie, and Mechthilde as the only surviving child of the family and must make a suitable marriage.

Her maid Klärchen manages to arrange a secret meeting between the couple, she plans on going along since she is loved by Albert's squire, Kurt.

After an orchestral interlude the scene opens as Silvana awakens in the castle to Rudolf's pleas for her to stay with someone who loves her.

An unknown knight has won all three contests and is awarded prizes of a sword and golden spurs by the lovely Mechthilde.