About the work
Sappho is a five-act tragedy by Franz Grillparzer. It premiered on 21 April 1818 at Vienna's Burgtheater and appeared in print in 1819.
Plot
The poet Sappho returns from the Olympic Games with the young Phaon and presents him as her beloved. Phaon, however, falls in love with Sappho's servant Melitta; after a failed attempt to flee together, the two regret their betrayal. Deeply wounded, Sappho renounces the world, blesses the young couple, and drowns herself in the sea.
Cultural significance
The premiere itself, with Wilhelmine Korn in the title role, was praised by critics. By 1888 the play had reached 87 performances at Vienna's old Hofburgtheater, with nine different actresses in the title role, among them Sophie Schröder and Charlotte Wolter.