WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Stuff Disney's The Little Mermaid; here's a fairy tale about a nymph and a mortal that actually has a sympathetic heroine.
Rusalka is a three-act opera written by Antonín Dvořák about the encounter between a water nymph and a prince, and the tragic consequences that follow. Soprano Renee Flemming sang the title role, a part she actually has championed for many years since she first performed the famous "Song to the Moon". Piotr Beczala sang the role of the Prince. John Relyea was Rusalka's father, the Water Gnome. And Dolora Zajick sang the role of the witch Ježibaba.
Before I get into the story, I would like to say that Rusalka doesn't become a real rusalka until the end. A rusalka in Slavic mythology was a spirit, usually of a young girl who died by the river after being jilted by her lover. The rusalka was essentially a siren who would lure men to their death.
The plot is very simple one. Rusalka is a water nymph who has recently fallen in love with a mortal prince who came to swim in the lake. Her father, the Water Gnome, naturally is very worried. But Rusalka insists, and the Water Gnome steers her to the witch Ježibaba. Ježibaba tells Rusalka that she can make her become mortal, but that she will lose the power of speech when human and if her love doesn't succeed, she and the prince will be damned. Rusalka is willing to take the risk. Later, the Prince comes to the lake having wandered from his hunting party in search of a white doe. Rusalka appears and immediately captivates the prince, even though she cannot speak to him. He takes her back to his palace where he continues to woo her. Unfortunately the palace servants are unerved by Rusalka's presence and the prince has a fling with a man-eating foreign princess (for those of you who are wondering, no the foreign princess is NOT in cahoots with Ježibaba, nor is it all part of the witch's plot). Rusalka feels betrayed and doomed and the Water Gnome warns the prince of a terrible fate that awaits him. When Ježibaba tells Rusalka that the way to save herself is to kill the prince, Rusalka cannot bear the thought and becomes a spirit of death as a result. The prince comes to the lake half-mad with regret calling for his white doe. Rusalka appears and tells him off for his unfaithfulness and says that her kiss now is literally the kiss of death. The prince gladly welcomes his fate and lets Rusalka kiss him. He dies in her arms saying that her kiss is his redemption and that he can now die in peace. Rusalka closes his eyes and commends his soul to God, and then takes her place beneath the water.
I don't think Piotr Beczala could ever have looked as much of a dreamboat as he did here. His desperation in Act 3 especially was what sold the performance for me.
The encore is on Wednesday at 6:30 pm for those who are interested.
