I get that the folks at Madison Opera in their production of Rusalka were trying to imply that the heroine was dangerous from the get-go by showing her during the prelude as a jilted woman drowning herself, but all that seems to do is make a plot-hole. Why does she suddenly want to become human again? She is described the Water Gnome's daughter. There was nothing in the libretto that suggested that she was originally a suicide. Can someone please give an explanation?
Also, why does Ježibaba take the shoes? I get that the knife is mentioned later, but does she just take the shoes as trophies? It makes no sense.
