Act I
The young Sicilian sailor Matteo is preparing for
his marriage to the beautiful village girl Giannina.
One day he catches the
enchanting naiad Ondine in his net, and she confesses her love for
him.
Matteo is astounded by Ondineґs beauty, but he tries to resist his
emotions. Bewitched, he returns home to his mother and Giannina.
Ondine,
invisible to humans, follows him. She provokes discord and anxiety, even
appearing to him in his dreams.
Ondine asks the Queen of the Sea to allow her
to become a woman and marry the man she loves. The Queen of the Sea refuses her
request, although when she sees her grief and when her friends beg for her she
agrees on the condition that Ondine marries Matteo before the petals fall from
the rose that the Queen of the Sea gives her. Ondine returns to land to meet her
beloved.
Act II
Festival of the Madonna.
Bride and groom are
following a religious procession. Suddenly Ondine appears from a well. Only
Matteo sees her. He is thrown into confusion. Giannina cannot understand what is
wrong with him. She asks him to pray to the Madonna, but instead of the Madonna,
Matteoґs eyes are fixed on Ondine.
Dressed as a peasant woman, Ondine arrives
at the festival. Matteo is once again thrown into confusion. The sounds of a
mandolin being played by a young sailor interrupt a tarantella. Giannina is
disturbed by the melody. Matteo wishes to dispose of his rival and is staggered
to discover that the young boy is Ondine trying to enchant him. Giannina is
preparing for the wedding. Matteo remains with the fishermen. Thunder peals. The
fishermen seek shelter. Matteo remains alone on the shore. The beauty of the
lightning reflected upon the sea fascinates him. There is a glow from the water,
and Ondine appears with her friends. She beckons him to follow her, trying to
make him give up his betrothed. Matteo resists. Ondine throws herself into the
sea with the other naiads. Matteo, astounded at what he has seen, loses
consciousness. Matteoґs mother is searching for him on the shore. Giannina
appears in her white wedding dress. The young couple board a boat to sail to the
church. Matteo's mother covers Gianninaґs head with a veil.
The naiads follow
beneath the boat. They appear to Giannina and call for her to follow them.
Giannina removes her veil, leans over towards these strange creatures and,
losing consciousness, falls into the water. The naiads draw her to the
seabed.
Matteo, lost in his thoughts, does not notice his fiancйe has
vanished. Ondine appears from the sea and takes Gianninaґs place in the boat.
She is in a white dress, her head covered with the veil Giannina left
behind.
The boat approaches a deserted shore. The moon is shining. Matteo
gets off the boat with Ondine. He is insanely happy and declares his love to
Ondine. Tears of anxiety pour down Ondineґs face. But she senses someone is
following her. Matteo explains that it is her shadow. Ondine is surprised – she
has become mortal. She dances, playing with her own shadow.
Matteo suggests
sailing on so they can be married. She gives him her hand and suddenly feels
that her heartbeat is faltering. The rose hidden in her corsage reminds her of
her pledge to the Queen of the Sea. A petal falls from the rose. Ondine urges
Matteo on.
Matteo and Ondine are in the church. The priest wishes to unite
them as man and wife but at that very moment the remaining petals fall from the
rose. "Too late, I am your wife, but I am dying," Ondine says. Failing to
understand, Matteo removes her veil and kisses her. All are amazed – it is not
Giannina. Everyone leaves Matteo. The plaintive naiads appear from the sea.
Ondine kisses Matteo and falls dead at his feet.
The sea washes the shore.
The waves seize Ondine. Matteo sees the woman he loved carried away for ever.
Matteo throws himself into the sea and disappears with his beloved amidst the
waves.