Intrigue and Love

Intrigue and Love is the story of Ferdinand von Walter and Louisa Miller, he a nobleman, she of the middle class, and their tragic love. Ferdinand’s father, the President, refuses the match in favor of Lady Milford, mistress to the Duke. Wurm, a court secretary, has his own designs on Louisa. Lady Milford has her heart set on Ferdinand. In the end, the lovers become victims of a secret intrigue and Death is the only alternative. Written in 1784, Intrigue and Love (Kabale und Liebe) is a landmark in the history of drama whose influence resonates through Ibsen to the modern age. Schiller’s unique voice and his passionate engine that drives the characters to their inexorable end, make for emotionally thrilling theater. So much so, that Verdi was inspired to turn it into the opera Luisa Miller.