Salome (opera)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by the composer, based on Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. It was first performed at the Hofoper in Dresden on December 9 1905.
The opera is famous (at the time of its release, infamous) for its Dance of the Seven Veils. Salome is performed frequently and there are various recordings of it.
Controversy
The combination of the biblical theme, the erotic and the murderous which so attracted Wilde to the tale shocked opera audiences from its first appearance. The original performers were very reluctant to handle the material as written, it was banned in London by the Lord Chamberlain's office until 1907, and Gustav Mahler could not gain the consent of the Vienna censor to have it performed (it was eventually premiered in 1918). When it did premiere in London under Thomas Beecham, it was modified, much to Beecham's annoyance and later amusement. In New York, the premiere was suppressed by wealthy patrons, who entreated the visiting Edward Elgar to lead the objections to the work. Elgar refused point-blank, stating that Strauss was "the greatest genius of the age".
