Elegie für Junge Liebende (Elegy for Young Lovers), is a German tragedy opera by Hans Werner Henze. Elegy for Young Lovers opera plot summary, and character list.

Elegie für junge Liebende (Elegy for Young Lovers) is a three-act opera. Composed by Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926). Libretto was written by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman. It was first performed in a German translation by Ludwig Prinz von Hessen at the Schwetzingen, Schlosstheater on May 20, 1961, conducted by Heinrich Bender.

Setting is in the Austrian alps, 1920. There are some spoken lines, and orchestral interlude in Act 3 during the blizzard scene.

Hans Werner Henze's opera "Elegy for Young Lovers" is a sour grape indictment of the artist, in this case Mittenhofer. It concerns a great poet who devours those around him to nourish and satisfy his ego, in the name of art. The librettists Auden and Kallman compared this opera to Arabella of Richard Strauss.

Main Characters (Roles)

• Hilda Mack, a widow (coloratura soprano)
• Carolina, Countess of Kirchstätten, secretary to Mittenhofer (contralto)
• Dr Wilhelm Reischmann, a physician (bass)
• Toni Reischmann (lyric tenor)
• Gregor Mittenhofer, a poet (baritone)
• Elisabeth Zimmer (soprano)
• Josef Mauer, a mountain climb leader (speaking part)

Plot Summary / Synopsis

Scene is at the parlor and terrace of Der Schwarze Adler, an inn in the Austrian alps.

Act I

Hilda Mack waits for her husband, who left to climb the the mountain of Hammerhorn forty years ago and never returned.

Countess Carolina and Dr Reischmann read the latest and mostly favorable reviews of Mittenhofer's poetry. Carolina hides money for Mittenhofer to find, one of many ways in which she and the doctor tend for Mittenhofer, to keep him going as a writer. Toni, the doctor's son joins them in the terrace and is introduced to Elisabeth, Mittenhofer's young love.

Hilda has a vision. Her visions inspire Mittenhofer's poetry. Carolina is sick with flu and further reduces to tears because of typographical errors in Mittenhofer's writing proofs. Dr Reischmann examines Carolina.

Josef Mauer reports that the body of Hilda's husband has been discovered, and preserved in the Alpine ice. Carolina and the doctor decide Elisabeth should tell Hilda. Finally, Hilda finally accepts her husband's death.

Act II

Elisabeth and Toni are in love. Carolina and the doctor disapprove and scold them. Carolina discovers Mittenhofer already knows the truth. Using self-deprecation and an appeal for his art, Mittenhofer convinces Elisabeth to stay. Elisabeth, out of pity, admits she cannot leave Mittenhofer. Toni confronts Mittenhofer who leaves the decision up to Elisabeth.

Hilda comforts Elisabeth, who realizes she has to decide. Mitterhofer begs Elisabeth by quoting in his new poem, "Stay one more day until I have completed it," Mitterhofer begs Elisabeth. She agrees. In private, he vents his contempt.

Act III

Toni and Elisabeth go hiking on the mountan of Hammerhorn, while Dr Reischmann leaves to prepare the town house. Carolina thinks Mittenhofer is better off without Elisabeth, while Mitterhofer wonders how long it will be before the young lovers get bored with each other.

A storm is brewing. Mauer asks Mittenhofer if he knows of anyone up on the mountain. The poet tells a lie and says "no." Situation is bad in the alps. Elisabeth and Toni try to find shelter from the blizzard. Trying to find comfort in each other, they pretend to look back on forty years of marriage. The lovers die in the blizzard.

Mittenhofer reads his elegy for Elisabeth and Toni.

Sources:

Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera by Harold Rosenthal and John Warrack, OUP (1972)

Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin, Da Capo Press (1997)

Dictionary of Composers and Their Music by Eric Gilder, Sphere Reference (1987)