Strauss: The Woman Without a Shadow

Monumental opera. When painter Gustav Klimt coated his famous paintings with gold leaf, Richard Strauss musically reveled in the opulence that was so typical of Vienna at the time. No fewer than five powerful Wagnerian voices are needed for his Die Frau ohne Schatten, not to mention the many supporting roles. Strauss’s fairy tale is thus the epitome of a festival opera. To conjure up the effects of this sound magician, his mammoth orchestra also employs five Chinese gongs and a glass harmonica. A central work of Art Nouveau, a gathering of exceptional voices, a delight for the audience, and a musical calling card for the Berliner Philharmoniker.