Mayerling

Prologue
In the middle of a rainy night, a coffin is buried in the cemetery of the abbey of Heiligenkreuz (Lower Austria).

Act 1

Scene 1: The ballroom at the Hofburg Imperial Palace
Crowned heads, political dignitaries and courtiers parade through the ballroom. At the party celebrating his marriage to Princess Stephanie of Belgium, the Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf offends his parents and his wife by openly flirting with Stephanie’s sister, Princess Louise. Left alone, Rudolf encounters Countess Larisch and Baroness Vetsera.
Baroness Vetsera introduces him to her young daughter Mary, aged seventeen. They are interrupted by four Hungarian officers, friends of Rudolf, who forcefully plead for their country’s separatist cause. Countess Larisch seeks to revive the intimacy of her past relationship with Rudolf. The emperor discovers them and orders Rudolf to return to his wife.

Scene 2: The empress’s apartments at the Hofburg
Empress Elisabeth has retired from the ball and is enjoying the company of her ladies-in-waiting. Rudolf visits her and tries to elicit his mother’s sympathy by sharing her grief.

Scene 3: Rudolf’s apartments at the Hofburg
Princess Stephanie is preparing for her wedding night. Rudolf finds her and, before making love to her, torments her with a skull and terrifies her with a revolver.

Act 2

Scene 1: A tavern
Rudolf takes Stephanie to a tavern where there are prostitutes and their customers. Seeing that Stéphanie is unhappy, their coachman Bratfisch does his best to amuse her, but she leaves the place in disgust. Rudolf devotes his attention to his mistress, Mitzi Caspar, and his Hungarian friends.

A police raid occurs, during which Rudolf, Mitzi and the Hungarian officers hide. In a mood of despair caused by the constant surveillance, Rudolf proposes a suicide pact to Mitzi. The Prime Minister, Count Taafe, arrives at the tavern, having been informed of Rudolf’s presence. The latter hides again, but Mitzi indicates his presence to the Count, with whom she leaves.

Scene 2: Outside the tavern
As Rudolf leaves the tavern, Countess Larisch introduces him to the young Mary Vetsera.

Scene 3: The Vetsera house
Countess Larisch visits her friend, Baroness Vetsera, and finds Mary absorbed by a portrait of Rudolf. She takes a pack of cards and tells Mary’s fortune. She assures Mary that her romantic dreams will come true. She encourages her to write a letter to Rudolf.

Scene 4: The Hofburg

During Emperor Franz Josef’s birthday celebrations, Count Taafe confronts Rudolf with a political pamphlet. At the same time, Colonel Bay Middleton offers the Prime Minister a joke cigar, which amuses Rudolf. A firework display is set off, which entertains everyone. Countess Larisch gives Rudolf Mary’s letter.

Scene 5: Rudolf’s apartments at the Hofburg

Mary and Rudolf meet in secret for the first time. Moved by Rudolf’s torments and fantasies, Mary takes the skull and revolver with which he had terrified Stephanie.

Act 3

Scene 1: In the countryside, in the snow
While out hunting, Rudolf accidentally shoots and kills a member of the court. He almost kills the emperor.

Scene 2: Rudolf’s apartments at the Hofburg
The empress discovers Countess Larisch and Rudolf together. She separates them, unaware that Mary is waiting outside. Mary joins Rudolf. The latter proposes a suicide pact.

Scene 3: The Mayerling hunting lodge
Rudolf, drinking with Count Hoyos and Prince Philipp, tells them that he is unwell. Bratfisch arrives with Mary, and Rudolf orders him to entertain them. But Bratfisch soon realises that he is losing their attention. In a frenzy of passion, Rudolf makes love to Mary.

Calming his nerves with an injection of morphine, he embraces her one last time and then shoots her. Loschek, Hoyos and Philipp, alerted by the shot, come running. But Rudolf hides the truth from them and reassures them. Left alone, the prince kills himself.

Epilogue
The final scene takes up the prologue and reveals its meaning. The coffin laid in the ground is that of Mary Vetsera, buried by night in the rain.