Rusalka (Dvorak)

I'm digging the water-gnomes's costume

Oh, I get it. So she is the Little Mermaid. The water-gnome is basically Sebastian Crab

That was the moon song that is the most famous part of this opera apparently. It was so-so

I'm sure it will grow on me

This is so the little mermaid! There's even an Ursula-esque witch

And she has to give up her voice in exchange for becoming a mortal!

The whole eternal damnation thing is slightly higher stakes I guess

But being turned into a weird ocean floor plankton forever is no laughing matter

The prince's palace even looks like Eric's from TLM

Why can she suddenly use her voice now that daddy water-gnome is back?

Water-gnome is like: I told you not to go on land

In other words: Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from me!!!!

Under the sea

Under the sea

There'll be no accusations

Just friendly crustaceans

Etc.

She needs to ditch prince-boy. At least Erik had the decency to still like her even without a voice

Maybe prince is destined to get dragged down into the swamp depths

Okay good, water-gnome is going to set him straight

This is a turn TLM didn't take

And that's act 2 folks

Good riddance to the prince. You deserve better, Rusalka

There are plenty of fish under the sea

Uh oh. Ursula's back to collect her wages

She really did have a less successful time of things than Ariel

Dvorak's opera is sort of reminding us to live by the reality principle. The Disney is more straight-up wish fulfillment

In real life we should be content with our lives under the sea

Only human blood will do? The prince has some of that! This seems like a win-win

What's the downside of just going back into the pond?

Wow, the sisters are kind of terrible

Why won't they take her back?

Reading ETA Hoffmann put me in the mood to want to watch this opera. Now I find that it shares plot elements in common with the story Undine - which formed the basis for Hoffmann's only opera. Weird

Even weirder that reading Hoffmann didn't first lead me to want to watch Offenbach's contes d'Hoffmann. Which would have made more sense

water-gone is setting the record straight

And here comes the prince

And now you're back

From outer space

With that sad look upon your face

But Rusalka's grown strong

She's learned how to get along

His shirt is doing a very STELLA! thing

Can't you hear me yell-ah?

Prince is like: "when I had ya to myself, I didn't want you around"

"Now it's much too late for me

To take a second look

Ooh baby give me one more chance"

Wow, that's dark

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