Richard Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
Opernhaus Zürich

When Strauss and Hofmannsthal wrote «Der Rosenkavalier» they created a profound social comedy. In this star-studded performance from Opernhaus Zürich, director Lydia Steier stages Strauss’ opera according to an aesthetic concept by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. Diana Damrau sings the Marschallin. Joana Mallwitz, chief conductor at the Konzerthaus Berlin, conducts the Orchester der Oper Zürich.

Family troubles spare no one, not even Vienna’s high aristocracy: the uncouth Baron Ochs of Lerchenau interrupts the Field Marshal’s wife’s morning tête-à-tête with her young lover, Octavian, to enlist her help with his wedding plans – motivated more by financial interest than romance. Little does he know, however, that Octavian, chosen to present the traditional silver rose, will end up falling for the bride himself…

Following the archaic, dramatic single-act operas Salome and Elektra, Richard Strauss sought a lighter, more cheerful subject for his next work in the vein of Mozart’s comic operas – a proposal eagerly embraced by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Hofmannsthal’s libretto conjures an artificial Rococo-era Vienna, complete with convincing yet fictional customs and dialects, which Strauss enriched with the addition of anachronistic waltzes. In this imaginary Vienna – teeming with vitality, pranks, and traditional social hierarchies but also tinged with melancholy and morbidity – the 18th century reflects not only itself but also the fading Belle Époque. Strauss’ score unleashes the full richness of orchestral color, reveling in boundless indulgence, culminating in the final trio, unparalleled in musical beauty. Yet, it also reveals profound fissures. Just a few years before the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Der Rosenkavalier serves as a swan song for an entire era.

Joana Mallwitz, the new Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Konzerthaus Berlin, is renowned for her singer-focused approach and deep respect for the text in her operatic conducting. She captivates audiences with a brightness of sound and spontaneous freshness, avoiding the heaviness often associated with Strauss in favor of a light-hearted, laughter-filled interpretation.

American director Lydia Steier is one of the most distinguished and successful opera directors of her generation. Currently in the throes of a Richard Strauss frenzy, she staged Salome and Die Frau ohne Schatten in several cities just last year. In her Rosenkavalier, she poignantly highlights the opera’s duality: on the surface, a raucous comedy, but at its core, a bittersweet meditation on aging.

Gottfried Helnwein's art focuses primarily on themes of pain, injury, and violence, often addressing taboo and provocative subjects. He has frequently held up a mirror to society, consistently centering his work on the weak and defenseless. In Der Rosenkavalier, he will once again use the extremes of his art to highlight social contrasts.