The love of Danae

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Work data
Title: The love of Danae
Strauss studies the piano reduction (1945)

Strauss studies the piano reduction (1945)

Original language: German
Music: Richard Strauss
Libretto : Joseph Gregor using a design by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Premiere: August 14, 1952
Place of premiere: Festspielhaus , Salzburg Festival
Playing time: about 3 hours
Place and time of the action: Ancient Greece
people

Die Liebe der Danae is an opera by Richard Strauss (op. 83), which he described as "cheerful mythology in three acts". It is the composer's penultimate play and was written between 1938 and 1940. The libretto is by Joseph Gregor , who u. a. included a design by Hugo von Hofmannsthal .

action

prehistory

The god father Jupiter had fallen in love with Danae , the daughter of King Pollux of Eos. To avoid the attention of his jealous wife Juno , he made an agreement with the poor donkey shepherd Midas . This should help him to conquer Danaes and in return receive the gift of turning everything he touches into gold. Through the use of this gift, Midas succeeds in becoming king of Lydia . In order to win Danae, Jupiter intends to switch shapes with Midas. Midas himself is supposed to take on the role of his messenger Chrysopher, but under no circumstances should he solicit Danae's love himself.

First elevator

In the throne room of the lavish King Pollux, his creditors have gathered to claim their money back. To get hold of this, he saw only one possibility, namely to send his four royal nephews with the picture of his daughter so that she could be richly married. A suitor is quickly found: it is the gold king Midas of Lydia. Meanwhile, Danae dreams of a laburnum. She describes this experience to her servant Xanthe when she announces that a new suitor has arrived. In the pillared courtyard of the palace, the four kings who have returned home present the gift of Midas, the portrait of Danaes, which he has turned into gold, and a branch that is also gold. At this moment his arrival is already announced. First, however, Midas' messenger Chrysopher appears - in reality the disguised king himself. The insecure Danae immediately falls in love with this messenger. When the supposed Midas, Jupiter in disguise, appears singing an advertising song and recognizes the cause of the golden rain in her dream, she collapses overwhelmed by her feelings.

second elevator

Jupiter's former lovers Alkmene , Europa , Leda and Semele , who are now married to Pollux's nephews, resent Jupiter for his interest in Danae. He also argues with the real Midas, who does not want to leave his beloved Danae to him. Jupiter, angry because of this breach of contract, then transforms Midas' gift into a curse, which is immediately fulfilled: When Midas hugs Danae, she turns to gold. Midas then asks Jupiter to transform the candidate back and let her choose her own candidate. Danae is transformed back and chooses Midas.

third elevator

Danae and Midas live together in poverty. Mercury mocks Jupiter for rejecting it. The four former lovers try in vain to win back Jupiter. This is requested by the creditors, who still believe that they have Midas in front of them, to pay off the debt. Jupiter frees itself from this critical situation with a golden shower. In the guise of a wanderer, he then visits Danae again in her poor hut, but realizes that her love for Midas cannot be shaken. He blesses them and withdraws.

layout

Orchestral line-up

Piccolo flute, 3 flutes (2nd and 3rd also piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, clarinet in Eb (also in D and C), 2 clarinets in Bb, basset horn, bass clarinet in Bb, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 6 horns, 4th Trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (2 players: glockenspiel, tambourine, triangle, cymbal, large drum, snare drum, tam-tam), 2 harps, celesta, piano 16 first violins, 16 second violins, 12 violas, 10 cellos , 8 double basses

particularities

The part of Jupiter is a particularly exposed baritone role, which ranges from G to g '(most of the time, however, between g and g'). For this reason, Strauss added transposition symbols to several parts of the score, which can be used to move all parts in the correct position. This simplifies the role for the singer.

Work history

The premiere was planned for the 1944 Salzburg Festival . After the assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944 , the festival was also canceled. Instead, on August 16, 1944, there was only one first and one-off performance in the form of a public dress rehearsal , during which, under the direction of Clemens Krauss Viorica Ursuleac, the title role, Hans Hotter sang Jupiter, Franz Klarwein sang Merkur and Horst Taubmann sang Midas. The direction was directed by Rudolf Hartmann , the set was created by Emil Preetorius . Since there was no printed sheet music available, the work was rehearsed from the manuscript.

The official premiere took place after Strauss' death on August 14, 1952 in the Festspielhaus during the Salzburg Festival. The conductor, director and set designer were the same as in 1944. Paul Schöffler (Jupiter), Josef Traxel (Merkur), Lászlo Szémere (Pollux), Annelies Kupper (Danae), Anny Felbermayer (Xanthe), Josef Gostic (Midas), August Jaresch sang , Erich Majkut , Harald Pröglhöf , Franz Bierbach (Four Kings), Dorothea Siebert (Semele), Esther Réthy (Europe), Georgine von Milinkovic (Alkmene) and Sieglinde Wagner (Leda)

Discography (selection)

Web links

Commons : The Love of Danae  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Supplement to the CD with Ulrich Windfuhr, cpo 999 967-2.
  2. ↑ Richard Strauss: The love of Danae. Cheerful mythology in three acts by Joseph Gregor, op.83 . Study score (= Richard Strauss Edition. Complete stage works. Vienna and Mainz 1996, orchestra)