The Fairies

"The Fairies" (Die Feen) is an early opera by Richard Wagner, composed in 1833 but not produced until after his death. It is based on a fantastic tale by Carlo Gozzi and represents Wagner's initial foray into opera before he developed his mature concept of music drama. The opera showcases Wagner's early style, influenced by composers like Meyerbeer, Marschner, and Weber, and predates his more famous works such as The Flying Dutchman and Tannhäuser. While it contains elements of the fantastical, it is considered a youthful work and does not embody the revolutionary ideas of Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art) that Wagner would later champion.123