Salome (opera) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salome |
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| by Richard Strauss | |
1910 poster by Ludwig Hohlwein
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| Librettist | Oscar Wilde (Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of the French play Salomé, edited by Richard Strauss) |
| Language | German |
| Premiere | 9 December 1905: Königliches Opernhaus, Dresden |
Salome is a short opera by Richard Strauss. It tells a dramatic story based on the Bible. The opera features characters like Salome, Herod, and John the Baptist.
The original play was called Salomé. It was written in French by Oscar Wilde in 1891. Later, Hedwig Lachmann translated the play into German. Richard Strauss saw the play in 1902 and decided to turn it into an opera.
The opera was first performed in Dresden in December 1905. A very famous part of the opera is "The Dance of the Seven Veils." This musical piece is sometimes played on its own in concerts.
Salome was very successful. Richard Strauss earned enough money from it to buy a beautiful house. However, the opera also caused some disagreement after its first show. Some people thought it was too shocking for the time. Because of this, it could not be performed at the Vienna Court Opera for nearly 20 years. At the Royal Opera House in London, parts of the opera had to be changed. In New York, it was performed only once. Then, people who supported the Metropolitan Opera decided it was not right for the public.
Main Characters in Salome
Here are the main characters in the opera:
- Salome: A very young and beautiful princess. She is sung by a soprano.
- Herodes: The king of Judaea and Salome's stepfather. He is sung by a tenor.
- Herodias: The queen and Salome's mother. She is sung by a mezzo-soprano.
- Jochanaan: Also known as John the Baptist. He is sung by a bass-baritone.
Images for kids
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1905 Dresden premier poster
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Karl Perron as Jochanaan in the Dresden performances, 1907
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Alice Guszalewicz as Salome. For many years, this photo was thought to be of Oscar Wilde himself in costume.
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Leitmotif associated with Salome herself
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Leitmotif associated with Jochanaan or prophecy
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Dissonant chord near the end of the opera, marked sfz in this piano reduction
See also
In Spanish: Salomé (ópera) para niños
