Der Freischütz, Op. 77, J. 277, (usually translated as
The Marksman or
The Freeshooter) is a German
opera with spoken dialogue in three acts by
Carl Maria von Weber with a
libretto by
Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the
Schauspielhaus Berlin. It is considered the first important German
Romantic opera, especially in its national identity and stark emotionality. The plot is based on the German folk legend of the
Freischütz and many of its tunes were thought to be inspired by German
folk music, but this is a common misconception. Its unearthly portrayal of the supernatural in the famous Wolf's Glen scene has been described as "the most expressive rendering of the gruesome that is to be found in a musical score".