Eugen dAlbert's tragic opera is based on the play "Terra baixa" by Àngel Guimerà and will be again presented at the Volksoper Vienna in this season.

Landowner Sebastiano wants that the shepherd Pedro marries his beloved Marta. Due to financial exigencies, Sebastiano himself plans to marry for money, but wants Marta to remain amenable to his wishes. When Pedro detects the truth, he kills Sebastiano in a fight and returns from the sinful lowlands to the pure mountain air with Marta, who has fallen in love with Pedro in the meantime.

D'Albert's haunting music combines Wagnerian sound with Italian verismo in an ingenious way.