Emilia Galotti

   by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.

   Premiered 1772. Lessing's tragedy has class conflict at the core of its action, and as such it had a strong influence on Friedrich Schiller's Kabale und Liebe (Intrigue and Love), which treats a similar situation. In Lessing's tragedy, Prince Gonzaga lusts for the beautiful and middle-class Emilia, who is already betrothed to Count Appiani. Gonzaga commissions his servant Marinelli to disrupt the marriage festivities. Marinelli plans a holdup of the wedding coach, but in the process Appiani is killed. The perpetrators "rescue" Emilia and carry her off to Gonzaga's palace under "protective custody," since Marinelli has denounced Appiani as a traitor and implicates Emilia in the conspiracy. Gonzaga wants to bring Emilia to the estate of his chancellor, Grimaldi, for questioning. Emilia's father Oduardo is permitted a brief visit with his daughter, who pleads with her father to spare her the inevitable disgrace that awaits her. She insists that he kill her with his dagger, and after anguished deliberation he does her bidding.