Richard Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten [1977] (1994)

If you love the operas of Richard Strauss -- the gloriously lyrical Rosenkavalier, the wonderfully witty Ariadne auf Naxos, the deliriously depraved Salome -- sooner or later you're going to come up against Die Frau ohne Schatten. Setting a highly symbolic and deeply obscure libretto by Hugo von Hoffmansthal, Die Frau is for some a successful fusion of the dramatic lyricism of Mozart with the orchestral color and weight of Wagner, while for others, it's an over-loud, over-long, and over-scored mistake. But if you love ... Read More

If you love the operas of Richard Strauss -- the gloriously lyrical Rosenkavalier, the wonderfully witty Ariadne auf Naxos, the deliriously depraved Salome -- sooner or later you're going to come up against Die Frau ohne Schatten. Setting a highly symbolic and deeply obscure libretto by Hugo von Hoffmansthal, Die Frau is for some a successful fusion of the dramatic lyricism of Mozart with the orchestral color and weight of Wagner, while for others, it's an over-loud, over-long, and over-scored mistake. But if you love Strauss, you'll have to come to terms with the work -- it stands at the center of his oeuvre and remains his most monumental and imposing work -- and then the question becomes which one you should hear.There are good reasons for trying this 1977 live stereo performance with Karl Böhm leading the Vienna Philharmonic and an all-star cast. Böhm was an old hand at Strauss' music and he knew from long experience how to move Die Frau along when it dawdles, how to juice it up when it flags, and... Read Less

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1994, Deutsche Grammophon UPC: 028944532524 CD See All