About the work
Die Freunde von Salamanka is a two-act Singspiel by Franz Schubert to a libretto by his friend Johann Mayrhofer – the beginning of their long artistic collaboration. Schubert composed the work in 1815 at the age of eighteen; because Mayrhofer's spoken dialogue was lost, it remained unperformed in his lifetime and received its premiere only on 6 May 1928 at the Halle opera house, in a newly written text version.
Plot
In Salamanca, the three friends Alonso, Diego and Fidelio stage a fake robbery so that Alonso can win the affection of the wealthy countess Olivia by posing as her rescuer. The scheme succeeds: Alonso wins Olivia's heart, while Diego falls for her maid Laura and Fidelio for Eusebia. After Alonso confesses, Olivia forgives him, and all three couples are happily united.
Cultural significance
Because the original libretto text has not survived, Die Freunde von Salamanka remains one of Schubert's least accessible stage works; the fully preserved music – an overture and eighteen numbers – is nonetheless regarded as among the most mature scores of the young composer.