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21-SECOND SYNOPSIS
Ignoring the advice of her father, her friends, the moon, and a witch, a water nymph sacrifices everything to pursue human love and an immortal soul. Ignoring his friends and annoying his princess, the prince falls for the nymph, then betrays her. She returns to the water, the witch, her friends, and her father, all sad. The prince returns for one last kiss, and dies happy.
Act I: a moonlit forest glade at the edge of a lake
Three wood nymphs tease and flirt with Vodník, a water-gnome. Vodník’s daughter, Rusalka, appears and tells her father that she is sad: she wants to leave the water because she has learned that humans have immortal souls that outlive them. She also confesses her love for a human prince: when he leaves his clothes on the shore and plunges into the water, she embraces him in the form of a wave. With a cry of “Běda! Běda! Běda!” (Alas!), Vodník directs Rusalka to the witch, Ježibaba.
Alone, Rusalka sings to the moon, asking the moon to find her lover. Ominously, the moon disappears behind a cloud.
Rusalka finds Ježibaba, who offers a potion to make her human with various conditions: (a) give Ježibaba her transparent fairy veil, (b) win her prince or else she will be cursed forever and her beloved will die cursed, and (c) always remain mute to humans.
The prince and his hunting party arrive, singing of a white doe. The prince sends his companions away so that he can wonder about his mysterious attraction to the water. Rusalka approaches. Entranced, they embrace.
Act II: the palace, a week later
As the prince plans to marry Rusalka, a visiting princess asserts her own interest in the prince. During evening festivities at the palace, Rusalka finds her father and they weep together. While the prince courts the princess, Rusalka returns and throws herself into his arms. All are frightened or confused by Rusalka’s magical attraction. The prince falls at the princess’s feet, and she laughs and condemns him.
Act III: the moonlit glade
Sad and pale, Rusalka bemoans her fate. Ježibaba appears and reminds her of their bargain. She hands Rusalka a knife and tells her that she can release herself from her promises by killing the prince. Horrified, Rusalka throws the knife into the lake. Ježibaba notes that men attain manhood by killing other men.
Rusalka tries to join her sister nymphs, who reject her because she is tainted from her encounter with humans. The nymphs again flirt with Vodník but he says they all share Rusalka’s grief. The prince appears, seeking Rusalka. Rusalka appears as a vision in the moonlight, warning that if they embrace he will die. As Rusalka kisses and embraces him, he says that death will redeem his betrayal, and dies happy.
Under the water, Vodník cries that the prince’s sacrifice was in vain. Rusalka kisses the dead prince, wishing for God’s mercy on his human soul, and sinks into the lake.
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