Salome
Religion, sexuality and perversion are a potent combination in David McVicar's gripping production of Richard Strauss's opera.
Introduction
Salome, the troubled stepdaughter of Herod, has an unhealthy attraction to the devout John the Baptist. Torn between lust and hatred of her life at the corrupt court, she pushes her demands to the most extreme limits.
News and features
Watch: Behind the scenes in the Royal Opera House making departments
From a gory severed head to dazzling tutus, our behind-the-scenes have been busy this season.
Background
Richard Strauss brought an extravagant intensity to his adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play Salomé. The glitter of Herod's palace, the flicker of torches and the pale light of the moon, are all vividly evoked in a rich score. When Salome had its premiere in Dresden in 1905 it received 38 curtain calls and gave Strauss the reputation of a first-rank opera composer. Gustav Mahler called it 'one of the most important works of our day'.
The production's opening tableau introduces a world of debauchery. An elite indulges in a banquet on the upper floor, while servants, guards and prostitutes wait to be summoned in a grimy kitchen downstairs. Moral and physical decay is reinforced by Es Devlin's Art-Deco-inspired designs. The role of Salome blends innocence, sensuality and violence, and places immense demands on a singer. Strauss famously said the role was 'written for a 16-year-old with the voice of an Isolde'.
Guidance
This production contains nudity and violence
Running time
About 1 hour 45 minutes | No intervals
Language
Sung in German with English surtitles
Credits
| Director | David McVicar |
| Revival Director | Bárbara Lluch |
| Designer | Es Devlin |
| Lighting design | Wolfgang Göbbel |
| Choreography | Andrew George |
| Revival Choreographer | Emily Piercy |
| Video design | Mark Grimmer |
| Video design | Leo Warner |
Related links
- www.guardian.co.uk The Good Opera Guide: Strauss's Salome
- www.rohcollections.org.uk Salome on ROH Collections
- www.youtube.com Salome - rehearsal footage - Youtube
- www.youtube.com Salome - Creating John the Baptist's Severed Head - YouTube
- en.wikipedia.org Salome - Wikipedia
