Die tote Stadt (The Dead City) was composed in 1920 by Austrian musical prodigy Erich Korngold, who emigrated to America in 1934 where he wrote many music scores for Hollywood films.

The "dead city" of the opera's title is Bruges in Belgium, where Paul, a widower, lives. Paul is still obsessed by his dead wife, Marie, and has created a shrine to her in their house. At the start of Act 1, Paul tells a friend that he has seen Marie or her double, in the town and invited her to visit him. When she arrives, Paul calls her Marie, but she says she is Marietta, a dancer from Lille. He is enchanted by her, and asks her to sing a song Marie used to sing for him, which expresses the joy of love, as well as sadness that it must end. Marietta finds Paul’s behaviour disconcerting and leaves. Paul cannot forget Marie, nor deny his fascination with Marietta. He begins a series of hallucinations which form most of the rest of the opera.

Paul’s dream sequence

In his dream, Paul’s friend, Frank, warns him against becoming involved with Marietta. Paul then sees Marietta flirting with a group of admirers, including Frank (transformed into an actor named Fritz, dressed as Pierrot) who is also entranced with Marietta. She asks him to sing for her, and continues to behave seductively.
Paul falls into a jealous rage and argues fiercely with Marietta. She insists he must love her for herself, not as a reincarnation of Marie. Paul realises he must cut his ties with his dead wife and makes love to Marietta. The next morning, he is overcome with remorse. Infuriated at Paul, Marietta taunts Paul in a dance, caressing a braid  of Marie’s hair. Paul is enraged at this sacrilege and strangles Marietta with the braid.

Paul returns to reality. There is no dead body and Marie’s braid is untouched in its shrine. Together with his friend, Frank, Paul decides to leave Bruges, moving on from both Marie and Marietta.