STRAUSS : DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 16th of March  2014 at 6.03 - 10.05 pm

STRAUSS: Die Frau ohne Schatten, an opera in three acts
(The woman without a shadow)
In a mythical time and place a childless and supernatural Empress risks her own happiness and the life of her husband when she refuses to be responsible for the destruction of innocent humans.
Emperor................................ Torsten Kerl
Empress................................ Anne Schwanewilms
Nurse..................................... Ildikó Komlósi
Barak, the dyer..................... Johan Reuter
Dyer's wife............................ Christine Goerke
One-eyed Man...................... Daniel Sutin
Hunchback............................ Allan Glassman
Messenger of Keikobad........ Richard Paul Fink
Voice of a Falcon................. Jennifer Check
Apparition of a Youth.......... Anthony Kalil
Guardian of the Threshold... Andrey Nemzer
Voice from Above................ Maria Zifchak
One-Armed Man................... Nathan Stark
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Vladimir Jurowski

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
REVIEW
REVIEW
LIBRETTO (German)
LIBRETTO (English)
LIBRETTO (German/Spanish)
RECORDINGS

This is a remarkable piece of brilliance by the same team that gave us Der Rosenkavalier, namely Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Strauss was puzzled by some of its intricacies and symbolism, and that tiny synopsis above will leave you bemused also. However, you will find several summaries in the links.
   This is amazing music poured out by an enormous orchestra, and a large band of singers. In the reviews of this performance the two wives (Schwanewilms and Goerke) are said to be fine sopranos (that's a relief).
   Great concentration will be required, and I have indicated an English translation of the libretto: I have got one in the booklet that goes with the recording I own (Sawallisch 1987).