About the work
The Piccolomini is the second part of the Wallenstein trilogy, with which Friedrich Schiller completed what is often called his most significant play in 1799. It premiered on 30 January 1799 at the Weimar court theatre under Goethe's direction and, like the whole trilogy, is set in Bohemia in the winter of 1633/34 during the Thirty Years' War.
Plot
The imperial general Wallenstein is secretly negotiating with the Swedes against his own emperor. His closest confidant, Octavio Piccolomini, stays loyal to the emperor and spies on him, while Octavio's son Max falls in love with Wallenstein's daughter Thekla. The part ends with Max resolving to confront Wallenstein directly about his plans.
Cultural significance
As the trilogy's build-up, The Piccolomini lays out the political core of the conflict, while the private love story between Max and Thekla — Schiller's own invention, with no historical basis — adds a tragic, human dimension to the historical material. The trilogy is still often condensed into a single evening's performance today.