HANS HEILING " Hans Heiling " is a romantic opera in three acts and a prologue, with the score by Heinrich Marschner and text by Edouard Devrient. It was first produced in Berlin in 1833.
The Queen of Elfland. Hans Heiling, her son. Anna, his betrothed. Gertrude, her mother. Conrad.
Stephan.
Hans Heiling is king of the gnomes, but he has strayed from his native sphere and fallen in love with Anna, a child of the earth. In the prologue, he announces to his elfin subjects that he proposes to leave them to join the maiden and persists in following this course, despite the protests of his wiser mother. Seeing him immovable, she gives him wondrous jewels and a magic book which shall prevent his losing his power over the gnomes. Thus equipped, he sets forth for the upper world. Arrived there, he seeks Anna whose mother induces her to accept the advances of the rich stranger. He presents her with a handsome chain, and Anna, with the true characteristics of the eternal feminine, feels at once desirous of displaying her ornament and begs him to accompany her to the fair. But the serious Hans, who has no liking for such things, refuses much to his betrothed's annoyance. She is distracted from her disappointment by the discovery of an amazing book in her lover's room. Led by curiosity she opens it, at which the leaves begin to turn quite by themselves and the weird signs upon them seem to menace her. In terror she cries out and Hans sees too late what she has been doing. Suspecting that it is a magic book, Anna implores him to destroy it. He finally consents and throws it into the fire, thus severing all connection with his people. As the flames enwrap it, a sudden thunder-clap is heard. Anna still longs for the fair and now Hans offers to go on condition that she will not dance. She promises, but upon arriving at the festival, she at once is surrounded by the village lads, who do not look with favor upon the stranger who has stolen the fairest of the girls. Conrad the hunter, who loves her, induces her to violate her promise.
The angry Hans throws out a word of prohibition but Anna, loftily reminding him that they are not yet married, runs laughingly away on Conrad's arm.
In the second act, we find Anna musing in the forest. She has discovered that she has a heart and that it belongs to Conrad and not to her rich fiancé. Her revery is sud denly disturbed by the discovery that she is surrounded by a troop of gnomes. The Queen who heads them reveals to her the real identity of Hans and implores her to give him back to them. When they have gone, Conrad appears and Anna makes him happy by acknowledging her love and enlisting his services in the task of curing Hans of his infatuation. She scarcely has reached her mother's cottage when Hans comes to present his bridal gift. She shrinks from him, telling him that she knows his origin. Enraged he hurls his dagger at his successful rival and hurries out.
In the third act, the disconsolate Hans is seen roaming in the mountains. Sick of his experience on earth, he decides to go back to his home. He summons his former companions and subjects, but they remind him that with the destruction of the magic book he lost his power over them. To add to his misery, he learns that Conrad is about to marry Anna, the dagger having swerved from its course. In despair at having lost not only earth but Elfinland as well, he casts himself upon the ground and the gnomes, recognizing that his earthly hope is at an end, renew their fealty to him and allow him to return with them to the Queen.
The act closes with the wedding. When Anna, sur rounded by her merry companions, turns to look into the eyes of her bridegroom, she finds Hans at her side. Conrad starts to attack him but the other's magic causes his sword to break in the air. Hans calls upon the gnomes to aid him in his vengeance but the Queen appears and exhorts him to forgiveness. He is swayed by her and follows her to reign forever in his rightful kingdom.