
In this lively, two‑act spectacle the audience is thrust into a shadowy forest where ancient stone gates guard the entrance to the underworld. A proud war‑leader, fresh from battle, confronts the relentless fury of the three avenging sisters, while the brooding lord of the dead watches from his grim throne. Through witty banter and heightened drama, the play weaves together gods, genii, and mortals whose ambitions clash in a tangled web of honor, betrayal and restless ambition.
The story balances bitter humor with poignant tragedy, following a king who rules without a kingdom and a hero whose courage has fled him. As the first act unfolds, characters grapple with the weight of false crowns, broken oaths and the promise of revenge, all set against a backdrop of thunderous choruses and supernatural spectacle. Listeners will be drawn into Raimund’s richly imagined world where the line between comedy and sorrow is as thin as a blade.
Full title
Die unheilbringende Krone (oder König ohne Reich, Held ohne Mut, Schönheit ohne Jugend)
Language
de
Duration
~2 hours (140K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2005-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1790–1836
A star of Vienna’s popular theater, this Austrian actor and playwright mixed fairy-tale fantasy, comedy, and melancholy in works that helped define the old Viennese stage. His best-known plays still stand out for their charm, wit, and surprising emotional depth.
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