Kommandant - Bernd Weikl
Maria - Sabine Hass
Wachtmeister - Jaako Ryhänen
Ein Piemonteser - Werner Güra
Der Holsteiner - Kurt Moll
Bürgermeister - Robert Schunk
Prälat - Karl Helm
Schütze - Jan Vacik
Konstabel - Jan-Hendrik Rootering
Musketier - Alfred Kuhn
Ein Piemonteser - Eduardo Villa
Gerhard Auer / Florian Cerny / Cornelia Wulkopf / Thomas Woodman
| The Opera | The end of the Thirty years War. The scene is the upper part of a fortress. It is early morning. The soldiers are beginning to awaken. |
| 03:33 | A Piedmontese soldier sings a song full of happiness in contrast to life in the fortress. He had passed through enemy lines to deliver a letter from the Emperor to the Commandant of the fortress. |
| 09:08 | A deputation of starving citizens aproaches the fortress and enters. |
| 13:12 | The Commandant addresses them. They beg him to surrender and end their misery, but he informs them that the letter from the Emperor orders him to hold the fortress at whatever the cost. He tells the deputation to return to work and wait for a signal at midday which will tell them when to open the gates and seek freedom. They disperse. |
| 23:50 | The Commandant then tells the soldiers to spread out the gunpowder which is stored below the fortress and bring him the fuse. He intends to light the fuse and blow the fortress (and the city) to blazes. (This is, of course, the 'signal' he referred to when speaking to the deputation.) The men are given the option of leaving, or staying with the fortress to the death. The soldiers make their various choices, and the stage is left empty. |
| 33:14 | Maria, the Commandant's wife, enters and is surprised to find the bastion empty. She knows her husband is dedicated to duty and to the grimness of war, but she has a vision of optimism and joy. |
| 41:58 | Her husband joins her. Though horrified at his plan, she vows to remain with him in death. In their 'love duet', she curses and he praises the ideal of war. |
| 52:48 | A cannon shot is heard, and the Commandant takes it as the signal to light the fuse. But a distant bell is heard, followed by many others. The townspeople enter full of joy at the prospect of peace, but the Commandant refuses to believe that peace has been declared. The leader of the enemy troops argues with the Commandant and Maria begs her husband to relent. The two foes finally embrace in peace. |
| 67:30 | The opera ends with a grand choral finale (with lots of high Cs to go
around for everyone).
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