The Devil

In a cluttered Viennese studio, the temperamental artist Karl Mahler wrestles with his own whims while his loyal valet Heinrich scrambles to keep the household in order. A nervous model named Mimi drops by, only to be rebuffed, her melancholy echoing the tension that hangs over canvases, sketches, and half‑finished portraits. As the day unfolds, the quiet routine is disrupted by the arrival of an enigmatic guest—Dr. Miller—whose polished charm masks something far more unsettling.

The first act sets the stage for a tangled web of desire, ambition, and hidden motives. Guests from the city’s elite, including the banker's wife Olga, weave in and out of the artists’ world, each bringing their own secrets and expectations. Listeners are drawn into a world where art and temptation collide, hinting that a darker, almost diabolical influence may be at work, poised to upend the fragile balance of the characters’ lives.