Buy Tickets Today!
Rusalka is co-sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth T. Barrow, Merle Chambers and Hugh Grant, Pam and Dave Duke, Marcia and Richard Robinson, and Susan and Jeremy Shamos.
The Story
Act I
The curtain opens to reveal a moonlit lake surrounded by trees. The water nymphs are at play along the shore, one of the sisters is named Rusalka. They begin to leave; returning to the water, but Rusalka chooses not to go with her sisters and instead remains alone. Sad and lonely, she wanders near the banks of the lake. Suddenly, a human Prince enters. Rusalka shadows his every move, desperately trying to make him take notice of her, but, a creature of the water, the Prince cannot see her. Rusalka embraces him; but her touch feels like nothing more than a wave brushing his skin; yet some magic, some unseen force, seems to pull the Prince to her. Haunted by a presence he cannot see; the Prince leaves. Rusalka quietly wanders away, gazing at the moon. Night deepens and the wood sprites appear. They call to Vodník, the water gnome, playfully bidding him to rise from beneath the depths. Vodník appears and teasingly banters with the wood sprites. Finally having enough of their childish games, Vodník shoos the silly creatures away. Rusalka enters and calls to her father, asking him to grant her freedom from her watery realm. Vodník learns that his daughter, Rusalka, has fallen in love with the human Prince and wishes to become mortal. Horrified, Vodník warns her against such an idea, but Rusalka weeps; telling her father that she must hold her love in her arms as a woman and not merely a wave on the water. Realizing his daughter is all but lost to him, the water gnome ruefully tells Rusalka her only help is to call for the witch, Ježibaba. He leaves her, sadly crying, “woe to you Rusalka” as he returns to the water. Alone, Rusalka entreats the moon, asking it to speak to the Prince in his dreams and tell him of her love. From under the water, Rusalka hears the warning voice of her father telling her that her choice will separate her from her sisters forever. Suddenly afraid, she calls to Ježibaba who appears from her hut. Rusalka tells her that she wishes to be human and pleads for her help. The witch agrees to help her, but there are consequences. Should Rusalka fail to win the love of the prince, she will be bound to the water forever. Worse yet, if the Prince is ever unfaithful, he will die and she will be eternally damned, cursed to wander forever as a wraith; a spirit neither alive nor dead. Rusalka agrees, thinking only of her love for the Prince. The witch chants a spell and brews a potion. The other water nymphs return and resume their play, unaware of the choice their sister has made. Ježibaba issues a final warning; while Rusalka is human, she will be rendered mute. Heedless of Ježibaba’s words, Rusalka drinks the potion and disappears into the witch’s hut. Sensing something is terribly wrong; her sisters stop their dance and slowly approach the witch. Undaunted, Ježibaba joins Rusalka and her sister’s quickly leave. As dawn breaks over the lake, the distant voice of a hunter is heard. The Prince appears. He continues to be haunted by visions of strange spirits and inexplicably drawn to the water. A group of hunters enter and the Prince quickly sends them off, wanting to be alone. Lost in thought, the Prince sits near the shore of the lake. Rusalka, now human, appears from the hut. She is dressed as a mortal woman, her beautiful hair gleaming in the sunrise. As she sees the Prince, her eyes shine with love. The Prince is immediately entranced by her ethereal beauty but quickly he realizes that she is unable to speak. Believing her lips to be sealed by a curse, he vows to set her free with his caresses. Completely enamored, the Prince begs for Rusalka to give him an indication of her love. Suddenly, the voices of her sisters and father are heard, calling to her from beneath the water. Terrified by the unseen voices, Rusalka collapses onto the ground. The Prince calms her with words of love and adoration, calling her his “fairytale.” She moves into his arms and kisses him for the first time. Her sisters appear from the water, but Rusalka doesn’t see them, lost in her lover’s embrace. They watch in confusion as the Prince leads Rusalka away.
Act II
Servants are preparing the palace for the ball that is to be held that evening. It is late afternoon and the sun is slowly fading into the dusk of evening, casting shadows on a nearby pond. The Prince enters followed by Rusalka. She is beautifully dressed, but sad and pale. The Prince is upset that Rusalka remains unable to speak and questions if marriage to him is the only thing that will free her tongue. He tells her that her embrace chills him and wonders at her inability to express a lover’s true passion. Mournfully, Rusalka turns away and the Prince realizes his words have wounded her. Wanting to soothe her, he takes her in his arms and tells her that she has captured him; he must win her at any cost. Secretly watching the lovers is a Foreign Princess. Furious that someone else has become the Prince’s intended, she vows to see their happiness shattered. The Foreign Princess interrupts the lover’s interlude and flirtatiously scolds the Prince for neglecting his duties as host and, in turn, neglecting her. Chastised, the Prince apologizes to the Foreign Princess and assures her that he will be a more attentive host. Then, with thinly veiled maliciousness, the Foreign Princess turns on Rusalka; why doesn’t she also scold the Prince for his neglect, or can she simply speaks to him with her gaze? Rusalka visibly cowers, unable to hide her pain. Embarrassed by her reaction, the Prince offers his arm to the Foreign Princess and then turns to Rusalka. He chastises her for her inappropriate behavior and instructs her to ready herself for the ball. The Prince leads the Foreign Princess from the room, but before they leave she turns triumphantly to Rusalka and openly mocks her, telling her to adorn herself well, because it is she who now has the Prince’s full attention. Rusalka watches them leave unable to call out to the Prince to stop him. Dejected and broken, she walks to the nearby pond. As the moon rises, guests begin arriving for the ball. Rusalka’s father, Vodník, emerges from the water. He goes to his daughter, but now a mortal, she is unable to see him. A swell of music is heard from the palace announcing the ball has begun. Rusalka dashes off to ready herself, but Vodník remains near the pond and watches the festivities. As the ball continues, Rusalka arrives unaccompanied. She awkwardly wanders through the crowd of strangers and, unable to find the Prince, she leaves to look for him. Moments pass and the Prince enters, not with his bride, but with the Foreign Princess on his arm. She uses all her feminine wiles to charm him. Rusalka returns and it becomes apparent to everyone that the Prince’s attention has been captured by the other woman. Rusalka fades into the background, watching the couple with sheer misery. Outside, in the nearby pond, Vodník sees his daughter’s pain. He goes to her but is unable to console her as she is no longer a creature of his world. Livid at her betrayal, he bemoans her inevitable fate, now that she has lost the love of the Prince. The voices of Rusalka’s sisters are heard from the pond, singing joyfully, completely unaware and unconcerned with the events happening above them. Unable to bear any more, Rusalka rushes out of the palace and kneels by the pond. Vodník follows her and asks if she knows him. Rusalka tries to speak, vainly at first, but then cries out to her father. In complete despair, she tells him of her heartbreak. Her love has been in vain and she realizes with horror that she is hopelessly lost. The Prince comes out of the palace with the Foreign Princess. Rusalka is forced to watch as he declares his passionate love for another woman. Playing her part well, the Foreign Princess coyly questions the Prince’s newfound devotion. As he reaffirms his love for the princess, Rusalka rushes to him. Chilled by her cold embrace, the Prince pushes Rusalka away and she falls to the ground. Vodník cries out, furiously condemning the Prince for his unfaithfulness. Taking his daughter into his arms, he draws her into the water once again. Dazed, the Prince throws himself at the Foreign Princess’ feet. She seizes her moment of revenge, vehemently cursing the Prince, and departs with a shrill, wild laugh. The Prince looses consciousness and is left abandoned and alone.
ACT III
The setting returns to the lake from Act I. It is evening and the sky is clouded. Rays of sun can be seen glinting through the clouds as dusk falls. Rusalka enters; she is deathly pale; her hair dull and lifeless. The light in her eyes, once glorious and bright, has been extinguished as she is once more held in the water’s grip. Her sisters appear and begin their play. She tries to join them but they flee, no longer recognizing her as one of them. Lost even to her sisters, Rusalka is utterly alone and tormented. She begs for death as Ježibaba, the witch, appears from her hut. She mocks Rusalka’s quick return, asking wasn’t human love sweet enough after all? Rusalka tells the witch of how she was betrayed but Ježibaba has no pity, declaring humans to be worthless. Rusalka pleads with Ježibaba to help her, to end her suffering. The witch reminds her of the spell and its consequences. However, she tells Rusalka that she may yet save herself from an eternity as a wraith. Ježibaba gives Rusalka a dagger and tells her that she can return to her life as a water nymph if she spills human blood; the blood of the Prince. Horrified, Rusalka refuses and throws the dagger down. Strengthened by her steadfast love for the Prince, Rusalka’s only remaining wish is that he be happy. Disgusted, Ježibaba scoffs at her desire to experience human love. She leaves Rusalka alone, forever condemned to her fate. Her sisters return and order Rusalka away from their watery realm; she no longer belongs. Knowing what the choice to spare the Prince’s life has cost her, Rusalka wanders into the night. All is quiet. The sky is tinged with red as the last rays of sun give way to darkness. As the moon rises, the wood sprites appear again, taking delight in their beauty and their charmed lives. As before, they call to Vodník, the water gnome, playfully taunting him to arise from his watery abode. He emerges and they gleefully dance around him, challenging him to try to catch them. Saddened by the cruel fate of his daughter, Vodník stops their silly game and tells them Rusalka’s sad story. He returns to the water and as he vanishes below the surface, the moon also disappears behind the clouds. Frightened by the sudden darkness, the wood sprites flee. The Prince rushes out of the woods. He is dazed and lost; frantically calling out for Rusalka, searching for her in all directions. Suddenly realizing where he is, the Prince becomes lost in his memories. He relives the day he met his “fairytale,” and cries out to her once more in desperation. The moon reappears from behind the clouds and as it does, Rusalka arises from the lake. Amazed, the Princes tenderly asks her if she remembers him. She gives no answer and the Prince declares that if she is dead, he wishes to join her; if she lives, he begs her to save him. Rusalka finally speaks to the Prince for the first time, telling him of her sorrow and accursed fate. Her love, once freely given, can now only bring his demise. The Prince asks for her forgiveness; begs for her embrace. Sadly, Rusalka tells him that in her arms, with her kiss, he will die. Welcoming death, the Prince pleads with Rusalka to end his torment and bring him eternal peace. He fervently declares his devotion and Rusalka rushes into his arms, giving him the kiss he has longed. Rusalka cradles the Prince in her arms as he prays for her forgiveness, growing weaker and weaker. He gazes into her eyes and, proclaiming his happiness and peace, the Price dies in Rusalka’s embrace. Vodník’s broken cry arises from beneath the water; Rusalka’s every sacrifice has been in vain and is doomed to wander as a wraith for eternity, neither alive nor dead. Still holding the Prince in her arms, Rusalka kisses him for the last time. She offers a prayer for her love, asking God to have mercy on his human soul. Rusalka gazes at her beloved Prince once more then slowly rises, disappearing into the night, forever cursed.
Cherity Koepke, Opera Colorado Director of Education & Community Programs