the celebrations for her own wedding thirty years ago. Peter realises he is the offspring of the rape and therefore must also be infected by the hereditary madness. He is unable to reveal the truth to his sweetheart, Eva, who is magnetically drawn to Heinrich, the current occupant of the castle. Act 2 The Miller, Eva’s father, tells the local Priest that his mill burned down during the night, the latest in a series of arson attacks that seem to happen at the same time every year. Fünkchen, Ratzekahl and Strahlbusch, Christobald’s accomplices, are travelling musicians who every year turn up to play at a wedding while Christobald starts a fire somewhere nearby. Eva goes up to the castle and declares her love to Heinrich, which is returned. However, Heinrich, determined to overcome the madness within him, refuses to consummate their love until he and Eva are properly wed. Act 3 On the day of the wedding, Eva tries to convince Peter that their separation is for the best. Sensing the onset of the madness, Peter implores Eva not to dance at the wedding and pleads with his mother to bind him in chains. During the wedding festivities, Peter escapes from the house and attempts to force himself upon Eva but is overcome and strangled by Heinrich just as Christobald sends the castle up in flames. Heinrich is mortified by his killing of his own brother but is strengthened by Eva’s love and the pair look forward to a new and brighter future together. Recordings In 1995 Sony Classical released a recording made by Austrian radio ORF during a concert performance at the Vienna Musikverein on 15 March 1989, with Peter Gülke conducting the Wiener Symphoniker. A recording taken from live performances at the Bonn Opera in 2010 conducted by Stefan Blunier was released by Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm on SACD format in September 2011. References Notes Sources Operas by Franz Schreker 1924 operas German-language operas Operas