Undine - ballet by Hans Werner Henze

This is the ballet I listened to a few years ago. I looked it up on Wikipedia and couldn't find the liner notes from the CD but did find interesting info.

It's based on the Motte-Fouque book, but the names are anglicized and there are some slight differences in the storyline. Here's what wiki says:

"The story derives from Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's novella Undine, the tale of a water-nymph who marries a mortal, but Ashton changes the names of all the characters. Similarly to other 19th century fairy tales, the plot is based on man (Palemon) encountering the supernatural (the water nymph Ondine), however the outcome is rather different than many of the 19th century classics: here it is the man that dies, and the female character survives. Ondine makes her first entrance from a fountain, shivering in the cold air as we would in water. She meets the hero, Palemon, and is astonished when she feels his heartbeat as ondines don't have hearts. Palemon deserts Berta who he has been courting and decides to marry Ondine. During a particularly strong storm while at sea, Ondine is lost overboard. Palemon survives the shipwreck created by the angry Ondines and believing Ondine is lost ends up marrying Berta. Ondine returns and is heartbroken when she discovers Palemon's unfaithfulness. When she kisses him he dies and she goes back to the sea losing all memory of him forever.

Principal Characters
Ondine (Undine)
The title role is undoubtedly the main focus of the ballet. She is a gentle water sprite and simplicity itself from the moment the audience discovers her dancing in the waterfall and then with her own shadow. Her love for Palemon is deep. This is what makes his unfaithfulness so devastating and dramatic.

Palemon (Huldbrand)
The male lead is bewitched by the feminine allure of Ondine. He has never seen a creature as lovely as her and decides to marry Ondine foresaking his betrothed, Berta. In a similar way to the Prince in Swan Lake, Palemon is destroyed by breaking the trust of his intended.

Berta (Bertalda)
She is the perfect female contrast to Ondine. Ondine belongs to the sea whereas Berta is definitely from the land. She is manipulative, possessive and highly demanding while Ondine is gentle and loving.

Tirrenio (Kuhlborn)
He is the uncle of Ondine and also Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. He tries to warn Ondine that what she intends to do with Palemon goes against the what is expected of her. When she chooses not to listen to his advice, he creates the conditions for a shipwreck where she is returned to the sea. When Ondine once again finds Palemon and realises how he has betrayed her, Tirrenio exacts a terrible revenge with his fellow Ondines by causing death and destruction for all Palemon's guests."