This original version of the opera is based on the autograph score of 1841, which is held in the national archive at the Richard Wagner foundation in Bayreuth. The opera originally had just one act with three scenes and was set on the coast of Scotland. The opera had undergone many changes by the time it was first performed: these changes included dividing the opera into three acts, moving the setting to Norway and changing the names Donald and George to Daland and Eric. Senta's ballad was transposed from A minor into G minor, which called for a change in instrumentation. This piano score of the original version of the opera, which was published for the first time in 1983 is the first in what is planned as a series of piano scores for Richard Wagner's operas. In order to reach as many of those interested as possible, an English translation has been added below the original German libretto.