This story was created in 1920 by Yvan Groll on the occasion of his wife mourning the closing of a nearby park. Quite fittingly, Reimann invoked the character of Melusine, a lyrical and nature-loving earth spirit, to fit naturally with this narrative. Melusine has the power to fight for the protection of nature. On the operatic stage, her weapons are virtuoso coloraturas, which she uses as lethally as slingshots. However, her mother – the fairy Pythia – has forbidden her to love. Melusine tries to protect her beloved environment from being rebuilt as a castle.

Reimann has skillfully combined the ecological subject with the Melusine myth. Multiple layers of the story are interrupted by scenes of abuse. This shows the deadly side of men - harming each other and their environment.

Considered one of the leading German-speaking opera composers, Aribert Reimann's second opera was premiered at the Schwetzingen Festival in 1971.

Cast:
- Marlene Mild (Melusine)
- Teresa Erbe (Pythia)
- Gabriele May (Madame Lapérouse)
- Richard Kindley (Max Oleander)
- Song-Hu Liu (Graf von Lusignan)
- Wieland Satter (Der Geometer)
- Dariusz Siedlik (Der Maurer)
- Sibrand Basa (Der Architekt)
- Thomas Fleischmann (Oger)
- Elisabeth Sommermann (Gast)
- Katrin Dieckelt (Gast)
- Bernardo Kim (Gast)
- Tim Stekkelies (Gast)