• Franz Schubert. Romantic opera in three acts. 1821.
• Libretto by Franz von Schober.
• First performed at the Hoftheater, Weimar, on 24th June 1854.

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CHARACTERS

Mauregato, a usurper, now King of Leon	baritone
Estrella, his daughter	soprano
Adolfo, royal army commander	bass
Froila, the exiled King of Leon	baritone
Alfonso, his son	tenor
Young girl	soprano
Young boy	tenor

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The opera deals with the love of Alfonso, exiled with his father and living in an idyllic valley, and Estrella, who is the object of Adolfo’s attentions. Mauregato demands that Estrella’s husband must bear the Chain of Eurich, which Alfonso gives her, when they meet in the valley. Adolfo, meanwhile, repulsed by Mauregato, leads an army against him and is victorious, taking Estrella prisoner. She is rescued by Alfonso, who overpowers Adolfo. Unlike Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, to which there are other narrative resemblances, Froila gives up any claim to the throne now restored to him by a repentant Mauregato, and gives it to his son, as both fathers bless the marriage of their children.

There are Singspiel elements in Schubert’s Romantic opera, although there is no spoken dialogue in it. The work was written by Schubert and his friend Schober during a short holiday in the country in the summer of 1821. It was not accepted by the Vienna Court Opera and had its first performance only in 1854 at Weimar, under the direction of Franz Liszt.