Opera of the Week: Scandalous Jewish no-goodnik

Based on Oscar Wilde’s play, Strauss’s landmark opera was greeted with shock, horror, excitement, awe, respect, censorship, scandal, condemnation – just the kind of responses that fill theatres and cinemas to this day, brought to Slippedisc subscribers courtesy of OperaVision. The music, sweet, sour, erotic, often dizzily thrilling, has not been blunted by time. This is no overture. A rising arpeggio on the clarinet launches Narraboth into his rapturous vision of Salome and, from there to the end, there is let-up in the intensity and tension of the score. Composed in 1905, Salome is still one of the wildest and most rewarding rides – at times of overwhelming intensity – to experience, and one of the most challenging in the repertoire for the lead soprano. It never fails to challenge the imagination of headlline writers. (Ours is borrowed from the New York magazine Forward.)

Sinéad Campbell Wallace singing the title role, complete with its 20-minute final aria that moves from animal frenzy to demented erotic yearning. Irish National Opera’s acclaimed new production is directed by Bruno Ravella and conducted by Fergus Sheil.

The Plot:  a king who desires his wild and wilful step-daughter. Her erotic fascination with a condemned prophet. Salome is a study in obsessions, with lust and death at every turn.

Sung in German. subtitles in English and German.

Streamed at 1900 CET /  1800 London  / 1300 NY