About the work
Der Flößer (Polish: Flis, The Raftsman) is a one-act opera by Stanisław Moniuszko with a libretto by Stanisław Bogusławski. Moniuszko reportedly sketched the piece within a few days while staying in Paris and brought it to Warsaw in 1858, shortly after the success of Halka; it premiered at the Teatr Wielki on 24 September 1858.
Plot
On the Vistula near Warsaw, the fisherman's daughter Zosia loves the raftsman Franek, but her father has promised her to the Warsaw barber Jakub. When Franek mentions he is searching for a brother lost since childhood, Jakub turns out to be that brother; he steps aside so the two lovers can marry.
Cultural significance
The Warsaw Courier reported that the opera was a complete success with the audience, with some numbers repeated by popular demand. The score draws on Polish dance rhythms such as the mazurka, oberek and kujawiak and shows the influence of Weber and Donizetti, though it remains the least performed of Moniuszko's three most popular operas, alongside Halka and The Haunted Manor.