Ariadne Auf Naxos
With Renée Fleming and Sophie Koch. Music director: Christian Thielemann
Thank you for your understanding.
Cast
Philippe Arlaud — Stage director, set designer
Andrea Uhmann — Costume designer
Staatskapelle Dresden
Christian Thielemann — Music director
Eike Wilm Schulte — A music teacher
Sophie Koch — The composer
Renée Fleming — Ariadne / Prima donna
Robert Dean Smith — Bacchus / The tenor
Jane Archibald — Zerbinetta
Nikolay Borchev — Harlequine
Kenneth Roberson — Scaramuccio
Steven Humes — Truffaldino
Kevin Conners — Brighella
Christian Baumgärtel — The dancing master
Roman Grübner — Lackey
David Jerusalem — Wigmaker
Program notes
Festspielhaus guests still enthusiastically praise the production of the Cavalier of the Rose with Christian Thielemann, Renée Fleming and Sophie Koch. The legend continues!
The Marschallin Renée Fleming will sing the role of Ariadne, whilst her former Cavalier co-star Sophie Koch will play the Composer.
With Ariadne, Strauss succeeded in replicating the success of the Cavalier of the Rose but without resorting to repetition. The content of this ever changing comedy/tragedy is perhaps even more refined than its predecessor, and in this latest opera it becomes clear that Strauss was a philogynist. The soprano and alto roles are simply but magically combined.
Strauss was the last of the great composers to let his singers sing in a completely relaxed manner. The direction of Philippe Arlaud is sure to be equally relaxed, wonderfully deepening the on-stage atmosphere with his lighting and colour effects.
Renée Fleming appears courtesy of Decca.
Christian Thielemann appears courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon.