Der Freischütz

• Ottokar, Duke of Bohemia (Baritone).
• Kuno, head ranger (Basso).
• Agatha, a young relative (Soprano).
• Caspar and Max, rangers (Basso and Tenor).
• Samiel, the black ranger (Speaking part).
• A hermit (Basso).
• Kilian, a rich peasant (Tenor).
• A bridesmaid (Soprano).

Synopsis

As Max has had ill-luck for several days he easily falls under the influence of Caspar, who also loves Agatha, and persuades Max to cast some magic bullets to be used in the contest. Caspar, whose soul on the morrow is to be forfeited to the devil, by the sacrifice of Max, hopes to obtain three more years of grace. (Trio, Kuno, Caspar, Max and chorus: "O the sun, fearsomely it rises.")

Left alone, Max, at the thought of losing Agatha through failure at the shooting contest, sinks into deep melancholy. (Aria: "Through woods and fields.") Caspar with weird incantations tries to imbue him with courage. (Song: "Here in this vale of tears.")

He hands him his gun loaded with one of the magic bullets, and to his own astonishment Max kills an eagle soaring at a great height. He resolves to go with Caspar at midnight to the terrible wolf’s gorge to cast the magic bullets in order to win the prize. Caspar, left alone, triumphs. (Aria: "Silence, let no one him warn.")

Agatha left alone awaits Max with the news of his suc­cess, which she decides to interpret as a favourable omen. (Recitative: "My eyelids droop in slumber"; Prayer: "Low, low, sacred words"; Scene: "All have long since gone to rest"; and Aria: "All my pulses beat.")

Max arrives; he acknowledges that he has not been the victor, but explains that he has killed a deer, which he will bring this evening from the wolf’s gorge. Notwithstanding the prayers of Agatha and Ännchen, Max departs. (Trio: "What, oh horror! there in the wolf’s gorge?")

Change of scene: The wolf’s gorge at night. Caspar calls upon the black ranger for assistance, and prepares the casting of the magic bullets. Max arrives and is warned by the spirit of his mother to abandon the project. Samiel conjures up the shape of Agatha, representing her as drowning herself in despair at Max’s ill success, whereupon he plunges into the gorge and with demoniacal noise the casting of the bullets is begun.

Change of scene: Meeting of the marksmen. Max has discharged six of his bullets successfully and Caspar is triumphant, knowing that the course of the seventh will be guided by the Evil One.

Change of scene: The prize shooting. Duke Ottokar awaits Max at his tent. (Chorus of foresters: "What excels the pleasures of the chase.") Max is now to shoot a dove. As he takes aim, Samiel, the black huntsman, appears to guide the bullet, and causes Max to fire at Agatha, who is apparently wounded. (Finale: "See, oh see, he shoots his bride.") Her bridal wreath turns the bullet aside and she revives. Caspar, seeing a holy hermit by her side, realises that he has failed. Samiel grasps him instead of Max, whereupon Caspar expires with a curse upon his lips. Duke Ottokar orders the corpse to be thrown into the wolf’s gorge, receives the explanation of Max, and touched by his repentance and the prayers of the hermit ("Who puts on him this dreadful ban"), inflicts upon him but a slight penalty. A year of trial is imposed, the prize shooting abolished and a promise given that at the expiration of the time of probation the duke himself will place the hand of Agatha in that of Max.