Die Frau ohne Schatten - Finale - Salzburg 2011

The finale of 'Die Frau...' at Salzburger Festspiele. Production by Christof Loy. Christian Thielemann conducts the impeccable Wiener Philharmoniker. Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 2011.

[@robertberger3475]

Herod Antipaster, Die Frau Ohne Schatten is NOT a "long,loud, boring piece of crap", but one of the greatest ,most magnificent, and sublime operas of all time . How can you be so blind to such an operatic msterpiece ?

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

don't waste your time on idiots. why would anyone happen upon this to talk shit on it?? it is most glorious as most real humans understand !!!

[@hrh2842]

Herod has my vote.

[@philschlee5136]

The music is, of course, awesome! Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner are my favorite composers!!

[@stevepestoff5360]

You and I think alike. Love both of these composers!

[@chrisjames789]

Ditto

[@javiermarting]

Some of the most irresistible musical phrases Strauss ever wrote are here, IMHO.

[@huwzosimos8839]

This is Strauss's greatest opera. I was lucky enough to see it at Covent Garden in 2014 and have the Solti DVD from the Salzburg fest around 1991. I always cry at the end, it is so moving. Of course I like the other operas, but I think this manages to include the best qualities of his music (as found in the tone poems) with all of the wonderful vocal writing, off stage choirs etc. Also, the characters are wonderfully depicted by Strauss: The dyers wife, Barack, the nurse etc. The story is fantastical, but hey, this is opera! Ultimately, this is so life affirming and puts human love of a couple as the most important thing in life. In this opera he puts it all together into one glorious whole. And nobody gets killed!

[@stanleybetts422]

J

[@StephenSmith-ge1qf]

I too saw that production. A wonderful opera, excellent production and a thoroughly wonderful experience.

[@plekkchand]

Yes. It is, I think, his most urgent inspiration.

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

I really love that violin part before the "vater....." section in the 3rd act

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

ABSOLUTELY!!! feel the majesty !!

[@tantris39]

JUST a fairy tale? You're missing the point!!!! _OIr maybe I was just spoiled when I heard it for the first (5) time(s) in Stehplatz in Vienna with Böhm, Rysanek, Nilsson, Hesse, King and Berry.......

[@thierryniord6661]

How lucky !

[@suziewan7474]

Meine Lieblingsoper.

[@andreasn.1113]

Meine auch

[@scotttisdel138]

My antidote to this production? Get a score, and watch that instead. Strauss' music is sublime, the performance splendid, that's what is most important. I believe Thielemann is the greatest Strauss conductor of our time.

[@chrisjames789]

Talking of the score, Puccini apparently was shown it on a visit to the Vienna State Opera - and declared it to be all logarithms! Perhaps that was a tacit acknowledgement of Strauss's superb achievement.

[@DanielZavagna]

I really HATE these modern settings in opera. The ego of producers makes them want to be greater than composers and libretists..

[@Macrodermagigas]

What a pity! Such an orchestra, such a conductor - abused for some European Regietheater bullsh*t! Couldn't they refuse? The Regietheater's dead end was already reached two decades ago. I won't spend any more cent for Salzburg!!!

[@stevefrombroadway]

You are right! I was lucky enough to see the old "fairy tale" setting of this masterpiece at the Met Opera back in 1966. I know this opera like the back of my hand; I wrote a thesis on its symbolism in college. It's definitely my favorite Strauss opera. Mind you, once in awhile it's okay to restage certain operas, but this production IS CRAP. The new Met production isn't that bad, but at least I have my memories of 1966!

[@timopragod]

There are certainly some operas that can work in a modern or concept staging. Elektra is one (if done respectably), but this is just insane. A director was actually paid to produce this nonsense. I am not a purest by any means, but come on.

[@martinatherton3018]

You shouldn't assume that everything you don't understand is nonsense.

[@Bacchusmbt]

@@martinatherton3018this is NONSENSE. PERIOD.

[@martinatherton3018]

@@Bacchusmbt - there's no need to SHOUT. And my original comment stands. I was intrigued by the production, which was imbued with intelligence and interest, as is only to be expected from Christof Loy. You might want to reflect on what it is/was that you, on the other hand, could not fathom. Full stop.

[@jasonhurd4379]

I saw the old Lehnhoff/Zimmermann production at San Francisco in 1976, 1980 and 1987. It followed the libretto in setting and staging, and was absolutely magical. I feel sorry for the younger generation who have never seen the traditional stagings, and who think Regie is the way it's supposed to be. At least I have my memories.

[@coreylascaris5277]

That was a wonderful production. The only time I had the chance to hear Nilsson live.

[@jasonhurd4379]

@@coreylascaris5277 Same here. Absolute magic.

[@MrMichaelvier]

Richard Strauss : This pure Genius is and will be always the greatest Composer of the 20 th Century.....no one gets even close to him when it comes to Opera .....Gustav Mahler in his symphonic work yes ......:-)

[@arrassip]

I totally agree

[@leoh3616]

Apart from 20th century, Wagner overtakes him in Opera.

[@dondonadio444]

Such a nonsensical production. If you're going to do a concert presentation just do it and don't pretend it's a real staging

[@LM1C144]

I saw this Opera in Antwerpen, the final scene was indescribable in the end there was a big table on which everyone was welcom (actors) and in the end there was also "their" child. I was agitated, emotional in the end. Beautifull

[@mongemark]

musica bellissima a morte i registi di oggi!!

[@thricegreatart]

lovely singing and music.......terrible everything else. it's not Regie I object to. It's Regie that senselessly deflates an original masterpiece that offends me.

[@dgbx6]

Strauss' greatest opera, to me. Filled with fantstic music, though difficult to perform. The opera is filled with all sorts of symbolism, and the director had to ignore it ALL in order to cram his stupid completely extraneous 'personal vision' on the work, - and kill all the magic. Completely disrespectful and contemptuous. What a waste as well as what a shame.

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

PURE AWESOME!! this gives me life. I would never call a suicide crisis hotline....cuz...duh this is THE SHIT

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

sheerest ecstasy. ultimate pinnacle of music. that 8 minute build-up. yeah you know what I'm talkin' about

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

Strauss is so good !!! He drops bombs !!! exquisite sublime bombs of awesome !!!

[@MignonDunne]

Great music and singing; silly production.

[@papagen00]

Best 'Frau' production is by David Hockney for San Francisco, 6-2023

[@ezequielfautario433]

A glorious opera, in an really ugly scene version.

[@PUCCINIMUSICK]

THIS PRODUCTION IS TOTALLY UNRESPECTFUL FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO COME ACROSS THIS INCREDIBLE MMASTERPIECE FOR THE FIRST TIME and have all the bloody right to see and watch and admire it as it has been scenically conceived. Today's directors are just charlatans.

[@mariasofiavalcheva4550]

yes. It is strange but in our time with very good singers and conductor and perfect orchestra the stage production is really crap !! disgustingly directors spoiling the text and music!

[@BalletBabyBoy]

Why do they fell compelled to do these horrible productions? Damn it, stick to the wishes of the composer and writer. Sick of EuroTrash.

[@LordMountararat]

Herlitzius on form is really a class act - I saw her Brunnhilde at Bayreuth about 10 years ago and she was simply stunning!

[@wotan10950]

I’ve seen Frau twice: with Nilsson and Marton, and many years later with Goerke, Megan Miller, Kerl, Rutter. It is quite a spectacle! Perhaps not as great as Elektra or Rosenkavalier, but stunning nonetheless.

[@1z1zz1z1zz]

Otherworldly sublime ................

[@SFKelvin]

My FAVORITE Opera ... and I know what that means ...

[@jgesselberty]

Music = divine Performance = amazing Production = crap

[@Musikfan2910]

Fantastisch!!!

[@mrmhaaf]

Viel zu langsames Tempo, zum einschlafen 🥱 und der Schluss mit Hohem C ..... Schlecht gesungen. RYSANEK/NILSSON HÄTTEN ALLE AN DIE WAND GESUNGEN.

[@stillstanding6031]

Crazzy production; marvelous music.

[@occhiopennuto239]

Opera straordinaria, su questo non si discute. Però, la regia più innovativa sarebbe solo quella in grado di far comprendere appieno il libretto..

[@geraldlindner1207]

Wer die musikalischen Herrlichkeiten nicht erkennen kann, ist ja nicht gezwungen, sich diese Oper anzutun.... hat der Rest noch mehr Freude an dem Stück. Leider gilt hier wie heutzutage meistens,,,vergesst die "Regie", hört auf die tollen Sänger und Musiker!!

[@clarice1001nights]

Die Frau ohne Schatten ist meine Lieblingsoper von Strauss. Zusammen mit dem Tannhäuser war sie eine große Herausforderung für mich. Wenn du dein Herz nicht in beiden findest, kannst du sie nicht singen und solltest es auch nicht. Leider werden beide selten gesungen. Frau ist voll von Ekstase und Sehnsucht. Manchmal setzen Regisseure die Geschichte "hoch", was immer traurig ist. Wenn es mit Respekt und Fantasie gemacht wird, ist es elektrisierend.

[@richardlevin9907]

My favorite Strauss opera. I'm seeing it soon in Baden Baden. Not sure what the Empress is up to at this ending. She has her shadow after all.

[@peterdevita6308]

The quartet finale between Die Kaiser, Die Kaiserin, Barak and and his Frau is unquestionably one of the most glorious pieces of music in all of opera. FRAU is the greatest opera of the 20th century, The pity is that it premiered in 1917 as WW I was ending so it never found the early success it deserved. But one now knows it's a beloved masterpiece so great in scope that it's almost incomprehensible to take in all of its sublime riches. - the quartet leads to the chorus of "unborn children" all ending with Strauss's magnificent orchestration and chorus which are, as is his usual, only sublime taking the listener to another dimension. SO LUCKY TO HAVE SEEN FRAU ON STAGE TWICE - at the MET ( D.VOIGT) and at MUNCHEN'S NATIOPNALTHEATER with Cheryl Studer, Hildegard Behrens as the Empress and the Frau. LONG LIVE "DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN".

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

Gran compositor, gran orquestra, grans veus !

[@fabptitpom]

I've seen bad stagings, but this one is so terrible it makes me laugh

[@florencionogalesmunoz2028]

Una de las más maravillosas experiencias que he vivido fue asistir en la Ópera de Viena a una Die Frau Ohne Schatten dirigida por Thieleman en el 2018 con Evelyn Herlitzius como Nurse, Camila Nailun como Enperatriz y Niña Stemme como la mujer de Barack. Inolvidable

[@DerekWilliamsMusic]

Superb

[@rubisco1981]

Which movement is this exactly? Is it some of the final movements of the 3rd act together? Is there a commercial recording of this performance available?

[@advokata]

Quite honestly, this production is harmless, almost conservatively stagnant. I don't know what all you know-it-all's problem is.

[@hrh2842]

Interesting final scene. Still, Strauss by-the-yard.

[@papagen00]

wow amazing, when did they allow women in the wiener philharmoniker?

[@acacia-bloom]

Where did you get that from? It is an interesting concept but this production was set in the Vienese Sofiensäle during the period when the first Böhm recording was made: i.e. in 1955. (The whole production depicts a recording session.) The Nazi state was not impending but history by then....

[@vincentlombardo9797]

bellissime idee per la regia ... complimenti ... (Wonderful ideas of the stage director.. my compliments). v.l. assistente alla regia, Die Frau, Metropolitan Opera, N.Y. 1968, Karl Boeme directing; Nat Merril stage director!!!

[@tantris39]

This opera is about motherhood being woman's sole purpose in lfe??? Don't make me laugh!!! I bet Strauss and Hofmannsthal would get a kick out of that!!

[@flemmingdalsgaard3231]

If You listen at home, it takes some stereo equipment to make it sound right, because it must be played loud. "The woman without a shadow" is a story about a marriage without love.

[@YDVDNVRR]

How can U explain a fairy tale? How can U explain a dream? It's obviously in the Strauss' unconscious... You know I don't care about Philo-Psico-Socio explanations about motherhood in this Opera as I care less about how many times you saw it...

[@ransomcoates546]

I think Thielemann was more inspired at the Met in 2002. One of the greatest performances of anything I have ever heard.

[@josecarmona9168]

No estoy en contra de ningún tipo de producción a priori. Pero hago alguna consideración sobre esta. Parece ser que la producción se basaba en que la ópera (y se asociaba con el nazismo) relega a la mujer a su papel de madre, y se intentaba hacer una especie de crítica a dicha idea (es un resumen muy escueto de la producción, cuidado). El problema es que la ópera de Strauss NO trata sobre eso: es un canto tremendo a la maternidad como característica inseparable del ser humano, y Strauss/Hoffmanstahl querían que provocara un sentimiento tan positivo que esperaron al final de la Primera Guerra Mundial para estrenarla. Por lo tanto la producción está yendo absolutamente en contra de la propia obra, y por lo tanto es desde el principio una producción fallida, más cuando lo que se escucha (en contra de lo que se ve) sí que sigue la idea inicial de Strauss/Hoffmanstahl. No entiendo montar una producción escénica para oponerse a la propia obra que se representa. Me parece una idea incluso "enfermiza" por cuanto si se quiere defender un concepto determinado, mejor es elegir una obra que lo conlleve, y si no gusta la idea principal de una obra, ¿para qué representarla? En estas contradicciones es donde se nota la tiranía actual del escenógrafo sobre el concepto musical en el mundo operístico.

[@scazzasofija]

There used to be the entire thing on YT. Can't find it anymore. Any ideas?

[@hanslangendorf8105]

Frau ohne Schatten ist nur geil !

[@geraldlindner1207]

Wer die musikalischen Herrlichkeiten nicht erkennen kann, ist ja nicht gezwungen, sich diese Oper anzutun.... hat der Rest noch mehr Freude an dem Stück. Leider gilt hier wie heutzutage meistens,,,vergesst die "Regie", hört auf die tollen Sänger und Musiker!!

[@aeischwa1]

Appena vista a Salzburg

[@MignonDunne]

Great fidelity. The best on the Tube. Thanks.

[@rrgallo967]

Who are the main singers?

[@gslanfranchi]

Raul Gallo Stephen Gould (The Emperor) Anne Schwanewilms (The Empress) Michaela Schuster (The Nurse) Wolfgang Koch (Barak, the Dyer) Evelyn Herlitzius (Barak's Wife)

[@rrgallo967]

Thanks!!!!!!!

[@michaeljeran]

Love it!

[@bronxbearbud]

Resplendent with banners, well-behaved children, and other sinister elements not hidden by the holiday tree, the scene suggests a nazi concert in support of marriage and motherhood, making the Empress' concluding, tormented gestures terrifyingly appropriate: now fertile, she knows her struggle for the grace and sanctity of motherhood has been in vain, as she realizes she will give birth to a generation whose atrocities are already mirrored in her horrified gaze. Knocked my socks off.

[@acacia-bloom]

Da war ich auch immer!

[@raffamon1946]

Ottima esecuzione . Grazie

[@lucaberardi8689]

Concordo!!!

[@Altonahh10]

Funny. People see 8 minutes out of 4 1/2 hours and collectively decide that the production is trash. I assume they don´t even know what the story is about, why it was written and what the intentions and influences on the storyline were. Instead of taking into consideration that the director here is a creative person - unlike somebody staging a Webber musical - and his creativity and intense dealing with a piece of work and SUBJECTIVE understanding of it results in what we see. And since there is no common way of thinking, interpreting and understanding of a piece of art, there can be a conflict in a presentation and the way we see it. But that can always be discussed instead of booing it which is another expression for stupidity.

[@tanguydanielou934]

J ai eu la très grande chance d assister à Berlin à la représentation de la Femme sans ombre le 9 avril dernier . Direction Z. Mehta . C ' était très émouvant . C'est vraiment une oeuvre d'une grande beauté . Je suis encore ému quand j y pense .

[@pinintra]

I was there; so I can tell you that it was an horrible staging. The "creativity" is NEVER a good resaon for a such bad staging !!! Great orchestra and great conductor. All the rest is a true shame !!!

[@tanguydanielou934]

Parsifal Kna les mises en scène sont rarement satisfaisantes. mais dans ces cas là , je ne suis que musique .

[@jrosings1]

First of all, staging a Webber musical requires incredible creativity. Some of the most esteemed directors in theatrical history have staged Webber musicals. As I see it, the problem with opera direction these days is that the director’s concept has become infinitely more important than the music. Read any opera review, particularly from Salzburg, and you’ll find five paragraphs about the director’s concept, and one small paragraph at the end about the singing. The directors themselves tend to have little interest in the music or the actual story of the opera. Instead, we get Trovatore set in a library (or whatever that was supposed to be), as well as this disaster. I’ve seen Ariadne auf Naxos set in an airplane hangar, and an Attila where the singers were directed never to look at each other. I’m sure there were “brilliant” concepts behind these productions, but I always say that if one needs to be told WHY a concept is valid, or what it brings to a piece, the director has failed. For me, opera is not intellectual. I want to have a visceral response to the music, not a cerebral response to the production.

[@Altonahh10]

@@jrosings1 You just said it - "opera is not intellectual". Say that to a composer such as Verdi, Wagner oder Strauss and they would laugh at your ignorance. At the same time you defend musical productions which have one purpose only and that is to make money. There is absolutely NOTHING intellectual about them and that´s okay. But please don´t compare an opera like FroSch to Cats or Traviata to Evita. Musicals have to appeal to the masses because they need fiscal success.

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

Of course people want to despise Strauss, and have shitty productions. But think about recalibrating..... strategizing to build the ultimate conception

[@telephilia]

Isn't this supposed to be a fairy tale opera? It doesn't look like it.

[@pega17pl]

Simply terrible eurotrash. Was Thielemann informed he has to conduct Frau ohne Schatten, too?

[@YDVDNVRR]

It is a fairy tale! Just that!

[@robertssje]

This is so pathetic. No one can sing any longer. Straining and pushing, Proof positive that opera is dead. And the fuss about the Berlin Philharmonic? Thieleman sounds like every other modern day conductor. There is no rehearsal time any longer and it shows in this mess. Female singers have vibrato that you could drive a truck through. Not squillo but vibrato in those weak voices.

[@aksdjfhalskdjfhadfhj]

They are singing their hearts out, but this really is a loud, long, boring piece of crap. Maybe if it were one hour long, but not at this length.

[@claudioestebanboccia1354]

Sublime