Summary: Four passers-by gather on a canal in late autumn. But the canal threatens to overflow if nobody does anything. At the same time, a love affair blossoms between the soprano and the tenor. Their relationship is caught between devotion and self-destruction. When the tenor fails to heed the soprano's warnings, the situation threatens to escalate. The soprano suffers more and more from the tenor's exploitative love and finally has to break away. This forces the tenor to jump into the canal. The passers-by observe what is happening but are unable or unwilling to intervene. In a moment of reconciliation, the soprano reflects on his feelings, but has to leave the tenor. Sunk deep in the water, the tenor finally realises the consequences of his actions. But it is far too late. The tragedy culminates in a symbolic moment when the canal overflows. The passers-by utter their last words until the water sweeps them into the depths. Only the soprano can slowly recover and look to the future. ‘Papierschnipsel’ is an exploration of the relationship between man and nature, embedded in a poetic and emotional performance on the opera stage.