Home

Freischütz

Der Freischütz (The Free Shooter) is a German Romantic opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber, with a German libretto by Johann Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Königliches Schauspielhaus in Berlin. The work is widely regarded as a landmark of German Romantic opera and is credited with inaugurating a distinct national style that fuses folk elements, supernatural themes, and concerted choral writing. Its emphasis on atmosphere, nature, and mysticism helped influence later composers, including Wagner, in the development of orchestral color and dramatic symbolism.

The plot centers on Max, a young hunter who loves Agathe and seeks to win her hand

Musically, the score integrates lyrical arias, ensembles, and robust choral numbers with vivid orchestral color to

Performance history: After its 1821 premiere, Der Freischütz quickly entered the European repertory and underwent revisions

through
a
shooting
contest.
His
jealous
rival
Kaspar
ensnares
him
in
a
pact
with
Samiel,
the
Devil,
to
obtain
magic
bullets
that
never
miss.
Max
receives
help
from
the
supernatural
but
is
tested
by
fear
and
moral
choice
as
the
Wolf’s
Glen
sequence
unfolds.
The
drama
blends
love,
duty,
and
the
struggle
against
darker
forces,
with
Agathe’s
steadfast
virtue
playing
a
decisive
role
in
the
resolution.
evoke
the
forest
setting
and
supernatural
forces.
The
Wolf’s
Glen
scene
remains
one
of
opera’s
most
famous
supernatural
set
pieces
and
showcases
Weber’s
innovative
use
of
orchestration
and
mood.
that
helped
standardize
its
version
in
the
decades
that
followed.
It
is
widely
staged
today
and
remains
a
touchstone
of
the
Romantic
repertoire
and
of
German
national
opera.