I loved the Met’s production of Salome last season with Elza van den Heever in the title role. Guth’s production didn’t shy from the abuse narrative (personifying Salome at different ages on stage and during the dance) but I found her to be similarly strong. Not sure if you saw, but for me it was the most Heavy Metal event I had been to since a Metallica concert in the 90’s
I've seen a number of Salomes, most recently Dimitri Tcherniakov's brilliant staging at the Hamburg Opera with Asmik Grigorian, the Salome of this century. There is very much a Gilded Age feel to this staging, part of a trilogy of Strauss operas that Tcherniakov has set in a wealthy patron's mansion akin to the Gilded Age (or the Wilhelmine period). I also loved the Salzburg Castellucci Salome, but more for Grigorian and her delightfullly petulant performance than for Castellucci's staging. But the strangest Salome I ever saw was the Luc Bondy production in Salzburg when I was living there. I often attended open dress rehearsals, but this one was completely booked, so the stage manager allowed me to climb to the top of a ladder just inside the proscenium where I had an eagle-eye view of the stage below. I was so close that the decibel level of the orchestra and singers (including Catherine Malfitano, Hanna Schwarz and Bryn Terfel) was like bathing in sound. I could peer down into the hole where Jochanaan was reading the score to prepare for his cues. But weirdest of all, was the most dramatic moment in the opera, when suddenly a rat calmly walked out onto the stage. It meandered through the singers (who commendably ignored it) and finally stepped out over the net that partially covered Jochanaan's hole, before disappearing into it. The stage manager later told me it wasn't a rat, it was 'unser Siebenschläfer' or 'our fat dormouse'.
Loved the episode on "Salome". I just learned from listening to you that her name is pronounced with a "Z" :)
I saw "Salome" done by the Washington National Opera around 2010 I think. It must have been Deboarah Voigt as Salome. Definitely a thrilling opera. I'm also a huge fan of Wilde so that connection makes it even better.
Looking forward to the episodes on "Traviata" and "Rigoletto".
I loved the Met’s production of Salome last season with Elza van den Heever in the title role. Guth’s production didn’t shy from the abuse narrative (personifying Salome at different ages on stage and during the dance) but I found her to be similarly strong. Not sure if you saw, but for me it was the most Heavy Metal event I had been to since a Metallica concert in the 90’s
I've seen a number of Salomes, most recently Dimitri Tcherniakov's brilliant staging at the Hamburg Opera with Asmik Grigorian, the Salome of this century. There is very much a Gilded Age feel to this staging, part of a trilogy of Strauss operas that Tcherniakov has set in a wealthy patron's mansion akin to the Gilded Age (or the Wilhelmine period). I also loved the Salzburg Castellucci Salome, but more for Grigorian and her delightfullly petulant performance than for Castellucci's staging. But the strangest Salome I ever saw was the Luc Bondy production in Salzburg when I was living there. I often attended open dress rehearsals, but this one was completely booked, so the stage manager allowed me to climb to the top of a ladder just inside the proscenium where I had an eagle-eye view of the stage below. I was so close that the decibel level of the orchestra and singers (including Catherine Malfitano, Hanna Schwarz and Bryn Terfel) was like bathing in sound. I could peer down into the hole where Jochanaan was reading the score to prepare for his cues. But weirdest of all, was the most dramatic moment in the opera, when suddenly a rat calmly walked out onto the stage. It meandered through the singers (who commendably ignored it) and finally stepped out over the net that partially covered Jochanaan's hole, before disappearing into it. The stage manager later told me it wasn't a rat, it was 'unser Siebenschläfer' or 'our fat dormouse'.
Loved the episode on "Salome". I just learned from listening to you that her name is pronounced with a "Z" :)
I saw "Salome" done by the Washington National Opera around 2010 I think. It must have been Deboarah Voigt as Salome. Definitely a thrilling opera. I'm also a huge fan of Wilde so that connection makes it even better.
Looking forward to the episodes on "Traviata" and "Rigoletto".