„Auf eurer Zauberburg ist’s mir zu kalt“. Grillparzer und die romantische Zauberoper Melusina

This contribution analyses the libretto of Grillparzer’s fairy-tale opera Melusina, thus first accounting for the reception of the myth of this half fish-half human creature, from a comparatistic perspective. When it comes to Grillparzer’s version (music composed by Conradin Kreuzer), the portrait of a very marginalized female character emerges. Melusine constantly contrasts with her supernatural world as well as with the human world of her lover. Based on various contrasts, this play shows a classical dramatic structure while maintaining adherence with the popular theatre, as shown by some of the comedic characters which appear in the play.