Der Freischütz facts for kids

Carl Maria von Weber

Der Freischütz (pronounced "Dare Fry-shoots") is a famous German opera. An opera is like a play where all the words are sung, usually with an orchestra. This one was written by Carl Maria von Weber. The story, called the libretto, was created by Friedrich Kind.

The opera first opened on June 18, 1821, in Berlin, Germany. Its name means The Marksman or The Freeshooter. It is considered the first important German Romantic opera. This means it uses strong feelings and ideas from German culture.

The story comes from an old German folk legend about a "freeshooter." This is someone who uses magic bullets. Many of the songs in the opera sound like traditional German folk music. One part, called the Wolf's Glen scene, is very famous. It shows spooky supernatural events in a way that many people find exciting and a bit scary.

What is Der Freischütz About?

Der Freischütz tells the story of a young hunter named Max. He is in love with Agathe. To marry her, Max must win a shooting contest. But he is having a bad day and cannot hit anything.

Max is worried he will lose the contest and Agathe. So, he makes a dangerous deal. He agrees to get magic bullets from a dark spirit named Samiel. These bullets always hit their target.

The Magic Bullets and Their Cost

Max meets Caspar, another hunter, in a spooky place called the Wolf's Glen. Caspar has already made a deal with Samiel. He helps Max cast a spell to make seven magic bullets.

Six of these bullets will go exactly where Max wants them to. But the seventh bullet is controlled by Samiel. It will go wherever the dark spirit wants it to go. This means the seventh bullet could cause great harm.

The Big Shooting Contest

On the day of the contest, Max uses his magic bullets. He hits every target perfectly. Everyone is amazed by his skill.

Then, it is time for the final shot. The Prince tells Max to shoot a white dove. Max aims, but the seventh bullet is fired. It does not hit the dove. Instead, it hits someone else.

The Story's Ending

The seventh bullet hits Caspar, who dies. This shows the dangerous price of dealing with dark magic. Max confesses everything. He explains how he got the magic bullets.

At first, the Prince is very angry. He wants to punish Max. But a wise old hermit steps in. The hermit explains that Max made a mistake because he was desperate. He asks the Prince to be fair.

The Prince agrees to give Max a chance to prove himself. Max must live a good life for one year. After that, he can marry Agathe. The opera ends with hope and a lesson about honesty.

Why is Der Freischütz Important?

This opera is very important in music history. It helped create the style of German Romantic opera. It uses German folk tales and music. This made it very popular with German audiences.

The music in Der Freischütz is exciting and dramatic. It helps tell the story and shows the characters' feelings. The Wolf's Glen scene is especially famous for its spooky sounds. It uses special instruments and effects to create a scary mood.

Der Freischütz is still performed today. It reminds us that making bad choices can have serious results. But it also shows that people can learn from their mistakes and find forgiveness.

Images for kids

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  An 1822 illustration of Der Freischütz depicting the opening scene with Max and Kilian

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  Design for the Wolf's Glen (1822, Weimar)

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  Wir winden dir den Jungfern-Kranz

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  Design for the act 3 finale (original 1821 production)

See also

In Spanish: El cazador furtivo para niños