Synopsis

ACT I
Wetzlar, near Frankfurt, 1780s. The Bailiff’s house.
Though it is July, the widowed Bailiff teaches his younger children a Christmas carol in the garden of their house. Two friends, Schmidt and Johann, watch them with amusement; they’re here to invite him to go and play with them, as usual. He tells them that he’s waiting for Charlotte, his eldest daughter, who is preparing for the local ball. In absence of her fiancé, Albert, she will go to dance with a young visiting poet, Werther, famous for being cultured but very melancholic, too. Schmidt and Johann find him uncongenial for her. They leave and the Bailiff goes into the house; Werther arrives, unseen. He declaims the beauty of the evening and watches Charlotte preparing the children’s supper: he is struck by her grace. When the party has left for the ball and the Bailiff has joined his friends at the inn, Albert returns unexpectedly. Sophie, who stayed at home to take care of the children, is very surprised. Albert is disappointed at not finding Charlotte at home, but Sophie reassures him that her sister has always been devoted to him; he tells he will come back in the morning. Charlotte and Werther return from the party, deeply absorbed in one another. Werther has fallen in love with her but his declaration is interrupted by the Bailiff, who announces Albert’s return. Charlotte must confess Werther the truth: she had promised her dying mother to marry Albert. Although he knows he will certainly die in despair, he tells Charlotte that she can’t break her promise.

ACT II
The Town Square. Three months later.
It’s a festivity day. Charlotte and Albert, now married, are happily walking across the square on their way to the Church. Werther has followed them; he expresses all his anguish for the lost love and happiness. Albert, having seen him, reaches the youth and tries to comfort his sorrow – he has him in great esteem for having found the strength to renounce to his beloved. Sophie makes an attempt, too, to cheer him up, inviting him to dance. Werther understands he can’t be happy and when Charlotte comes out of the Church he declares his love for her; disturbed, she tells him he must leave for a while, until he’s calm and serene again. Werther contemplates death and when Sophie invites him again, he rushes away, telling he’s leaving forever. The girl bursts into tears and, as Charlotte consoles her, she confesses her sister she is in love with Werther.

ACT III
Albert and Charlotte’s house. Christmas Eve.
Charlotte is home alone and reads again Werther’s letters – she’s deeply moved and worried. Sophie arrives with the gifts for the children and notices that her sister is very sad. She asks whether she is melancholic because of Werther’s absence. Hearing this name, Charlotte starts crying thus revealing her inner conflict. Suddenly, Werther arrives: he’s pale and thinner. He’s been ill and starved for death, but he had to see her again for Christmas time. Charlotte is upset but tries to keep calm and friendly; she asks Werther to read to her a passage from his translation of Ossian’s poems. He chooses the one where the poets foresees his own death; Charlotte is so fascinated and struck that she lets herself go and reveals her feelings to the youth. But she immediately realizes her mistake and runs away from his embrace with a final farewell. This is Werther’s sentence to death: he leaves the house without any hope. Albert enters and is surprised to find Charlotte upset; when a message arrives from Werther asking to borrow Albert’s guns, her reaction convinces him of her love for the poet. He makes his wife give the gun to the servant herself; but when Albert leaves, she hurries off, hoping to reach her friend in time to save him.

ACT IV
Werther’s house.
Charlotte arrives and finds Werther mortally wounded. Hearing her voice, he opens his eyes and asks to die in her arms. She declares her love and begs forgiveness, but he’s happy to start a new life sure that she loves him. As he dies, the children are heard singing their Christmas carol.