Mythological comedy in three acts by Richard Strauss, libretto by Joseph Gregor
A new production by Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova
Italian premiere of the original version
with Italian artistic ensembles
Main characters and performers:
Jupiter
Scott Hendricks
Merkur
Timothy Oliver
Pollux
Tuomas Katajala
Danae
Angela Meade
Xanthe
Valentina Farcas
Midas
John Matthew Myers
Erste König
Albert Memeti
Zweite König
Eamonn Mulhall
Dritte König
Nicolas Legoux
Vierte König
Giovanni Battista Parodi
Semele
Anna Graf
Europa
Agnieszka Adamczak
Alkmene
Hagar Sharvit
Leda
Valentina Stadler
Concertmaster and conductor
Fabio Luisi
Michael Zlabinger (16)
Director
Laurence Dale
Scenes and costumes
Gary McCann
Choreography
Carmine De Amicis
Lighting
John Bishop
Orchestra, chorus and technicians of the Opera Carlo Felice Genoa
Choirmaster Claudio Marino Moretti
Die Liebe der Danae (The Love of Danae), the penultimate opera by Richard Strauss, is a mythological comedy in three acts composed in 1940. About twenty years earlier, the poet and playwright Hugo von Hofmannsthal had proposed a canovaccio entitled Danae, or the Marriage of Convenience, to the composer, but it had been shelved in favour of other projects. When Strauss decided to realise the opera, he entrusted Hofmannsthal’s draft to librettist Joseph Gregor. The work proceeded with difficulty: first because of misunderstandings between librettist and composer, then because of the postponement of the premiere (initially scheduled for the Salzburg Festival in 1944, and then postponed due to the serious events of the war). The opera could only finally be staged on 14 August 1952 in Salzburg, three years after Strauss’ death. The plot is taken from Greek tradition, and features Danae, Midas, Jupiter and Juno in a plot of deceit, love and desire. Although at first the protagonist is only trying to escape her poverty (her father, King Pollux, having squandered the family fortune), Danaë will sincerely fall in love with Midas, and despite the wrath of Jupiter – who is in love with the girl – will succeed in making her love triumph. With refined and elegant writing, made up of soft, persuasive phrases and sweeping timbres, Strauss creates a musical tale vibrating with tension. The expressiveness is varied and remains as effective in light moments as in moments of greater pathos, the unity of the whole is rendered through the wise use of recurring thematic motifs.
