Salome

Music drama in one act | Text by the composer based on Oscar Wilde's drama "Salome" (1891) in German translation (1903) by Hedwig Lachmann | In German with surtitles

Duration: 1 3/4 hours | no intermission | for ages 16 and up

First performed in 1905, the stroke of genius "Salome" is the prelude to Richard Strauss' great operatic successes. Based on Oscar Wilde's sensational tragedy, he composed a musical drama full of unbridled passion, whose worldwide sensational success could not even be prevented by the performance bans of prudish censors. Strauss transformed one of the most scandalous stories of the turn of the century, which was originally based on a story from the New Testament, into a musical portrait of the unconscious that explores the conflict between sensuality and asceticism, intoxication and loneliness, power and Eros.

The Judean princess Salome lives at the decadent court of her mother Herodias and stepfather Herod. As if from another world, she hears the voice of the ascetic prophet Jochanaan, who is being held captive by the ruling couple. Of all people, Salome projects her sensual desires onto the man who is unaffected by the temptations of this world. When he turns away from her in contempt, a plan matures within her: she will use her charms to win, if not the man, then at least his severed head. Her final monologue, which is actually a dialog with the prophet's dead head, turns into a great ecstatic and tragic love song: "Had you looked upon me, Jochanaan, you would have loved me."

Never before has a composer translated desire, passion and revenge so excitingly into music. With novel, provocative sound visions, Strauss pours the storm of emotions and the emotional abysses of the title character into dazzling music that captures the erotically charged atmosphere of Salome's veil dance just as vividly as the serious pathos of Jochanaan's accusations - a rushing dance into the abyss that has lost none of its equally fascinating and disturbing power to this day.