A bucolic tragedy in one act dedicated to Karl Böhm.
The libretto by Joseph Gregor is based on the mythological figure of Daphne from Ovid`s Metamorphoses and includes elements from Euripides` Bacchae.
The premiere took place on October 15 1938 in Dresden.
https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_opera

Characters
- Daphne soprano
- Peneus the river god father of Daphne bass
- Gaia his wife mezzo-soprano
- Leucippus son of King Oenomaus childhood friend of Daphne tenor
- Apollo tenor
- four shepherds baritone tenor bass
- two maids soprano

The opera begins with a hymn to nature performed by the chaste nymph Daphne daughter of the river god Peneus.
Daphne is captivated by a mere mortal Leucippus the son of King Oenomaus. But Daphne is a child of nature and cannot reciprocate human feelings. Meanwhile Peneus is preparing a feast in honor of the god Apollo. Suddenly a mysterious shepherd appears at the feast. Peneus urges his daughter to pay attention to him. The shepherd tells Daphne that he observed her while she was `singing hymns` to nature. But as soon as the conversation turns to love Daphne flees in fear.
At the festival of Dionysus Leucippus disguised as a woman invites a girl to dance. She accepts. But a mysterious shepherd revealed to be Apollo stops the dance summoning a thunderstorm. Terrifying peals of thunder are heard. The shepherd himself in love with Daphne explains to the girl that Leucippus has deceived her and kills him with an arrow.
Daphne mourns the deceased. God mourns and asks the gods to realize the union with nature that Daphne soughtto transform her into a laurel tree.