Lurline
by Edward FitzballGenre: Fairy Tale, Operetta
Setting:
Format of Original Source: Plot summary
Recommended Adaptation Length: Two Hours
Candidate for Adaptation? Promising
EXCERPT:
The story of “Lurline” closely follows the old legend of the “Lorelei.” Count Rudolph, having dissipated his fortune, proposes marriage with Ghiva, daughter of a neighboring baron, to recoup himself. The Baron, however, turns out to be as poor as the Count, and nothing comes of the proposition. Meanwhile Lurline, the Rhine nymph, has seen the Count sailing on the river and fallen in love with him. At the last banquet he and his companions give in the old castle, she appears, weaves spells about him, places a magic ring on his finger, and then disappears. When he comes to his reason, he finds himself enamoured of her, follows the notes of her harp on the Rhine, and is engulfed in the whirlpool to which Lurline allures her victims.
COMMENTS:
A gnome, a nymph, a river spirit, magic rings. It’s a fairy tale with larger-than-life characters and an unusually cogent storyline for the genre, and might very well adapt!
A word of caution: This plot summary was written by 19th-century literary critic George Upton, who often mixes personal opinion with summation. You would be advised to consult the original source material, if the general plot appeals to you.
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