Princess Salome is disgusted by the decadence and immorality of her surroundings. She finds a striking contrast in the purity of the prophet Jochanaan, who is being held captive in a cistern by her stepfather Herodes and whose radiant speeches cast a spell over her. Jochanaan’s rejection only heightens her fascination to the point of ecstasy: Salome wants to kiss him. When the Herodes she despises promises his stepdaughter anything she could wish for in exchange for a dance, Salome is determined. She agrees—but demands a high price in return: the head of the prophet.
Luc Bondy’s timeless production is a directing classic of the late 20th century. After its premiere at the Salzburg Festival in 1992, it was celebrated by critics as a “highly sublime family chamber drama” that “makes the work itself the hero,” with the verdict “Richard Strauss as a psychological thriller.” It was later staged, among other places, at the Royal Opera House in London, at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, and at La Scala in Milan. In 2023, it had its Vienna premiere at the Volksoper in the staged realisation by Marie-Louise Bischofberger-Bondy and will now return to the stage.
Cast
- Conductor
- Omer Meir Wellber
- Rekreation der Inszenierung der Salzburger Festspiele 1992 von
- Luc Bondy
- Szenische Einstudierung
- Marie-Louise Bischofberger-Bondy
- Set design
- Erich Wonder
- Bühnenbild-Erarbeitung
- Daniela Kerck
- Bühnenbild-Erarbeitung
- Christof Hetzer
- Costume design
- Susanne Raschig
- Choreography
- Lucinda Childs
- Lighting design
- Alexander Koppelmann
- Herodes
- Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke
- Herodias
- Ursula Pfitzner
- Salome
- Astrid Kessler
- Jochanaan
- Tommi Hakala
- Narraboth
- JunHo You
- Page
- Stephanie Maitland
- Erster Jude
- Karl-Michael Ebner
- Zweiter Jude
- David Kerber
- Dritter Jude
- Jason Kim
- Vierter Jude
- Stephen Chaundy
- Fünfter Jude
- Alexander Fritze
- Erster Nazarener
- Pablo Santa Cruz
- Zweiter Nazarener
- Stanisław Napierała
- Erster Soldat
- Ben Connor
- Zweiter Soldat
- Daniel Ohlenschläger
- Kappadozier
- Pablo Santa Cruz
- Sklave
- Kamila Dutkowska
Photos and Videos
For all those who use a screen reader, a description of the visual aspects of the performance (set design, costumes...) follows here instead of the photo gallery.
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