Ibsen finished his drama “The Master Builder Solness” in 1892, and the first performance of the play had been held in London even before it was published.  

The protagonist of the play, Halvard Solness, is a genius builder, a creator, a great master of his craft.  Churches and towers, hearths and homes that were built by him elicit universal admiration and jealousy. “What a lucky man!” all people exclaim, but he is the only one who knows how wrong they are. In exchange for the great gift he is induced to live without happiness in his family life and fatherhood, without real friends and supporters. Not being an evil and cruel person in his soul he unwillingly inflicts pain on his family. Solness cramps professional advancement of his student Ragnar Brovik and thus betrays Ragnar’s father, his teacher, to whom he owes so much. And after this betrayal he is afraid of the revenge of his gifted students.

“Adolescence is a vengeance!” – This is how the leitmotif of the whole performance sounds like. The protagonist is afraid of its arrival. Solness constantly is tumbling, tortured by his fears, is in discordance with himself and with the others. His obsessive fears turn to be not idle at all. The adolescence in the image of Hilda knocks at his door. Thanks to the adolescence-girl Solness gains self-confidence and believes in his abilities of building “air-castles” once again. But his ambition to get on the top of the tower once again, to prove his giftedness in the end leads him to his death.