Ariadne is important as the earliest surviving score from the repertory of the Hamburg opera and is thus a significant document in the history of German opera. The opera is freely based on the classical myth of Ariadne, daughter of Minos, King of Crete, who falls in love with Theseus, Prince of Athens. Theseus has come to Crete to try to stop the terrible practice of offering up young Athenian men and women as sacrifices to the Minotaur. In the version presented by this opera Theseus loves Phaedra, Ariadne’s sister. After he learns from Ariadne the secret of escape from the labyrinth, he abandons her on an island and flees with Phaedra. Bacchus, who appears earlier in the opera disguised as Evantes, arrives and immediately falls in love with Ariadne. They are met by Venus and her Graces, and in the finale are raised to the heavens, where Ariadne is transformed into the constellation Corona Ariadne (i.e. Corona Borealis). (Adapted from the article by George J. Buelow, Grove Music Online).