Original title: Richard Strauss (1864-1949) - Ariadne auf Naxos
Year: 2014
Genre: Classical, Opera
Directed by: Sven-Eric Bechtolf
Artist: Jonas Kaufmann, Emily Magee, Elena Mosuc, Wiener Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding conductor


With great result opera director and acting director of the Salzburg Festival Sven-Erich Bechtholf at the Salzburg Festival in 2012 staged an enriched with elements of theater, comedy and dance original version of Richard Strauss's opera Ariadne auf Naxos. The premiere was hailed as a highlight of the festival, which was also due to the outstanding musical performance of all parties involved: the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and outstanding soloists shone under the baton of Daniel Harding. Jonas Kaufman gave a highly acclaimed debut as Bacchus and the other soloists were studded cast that includes Emily Magee (Ariadne), Elena Mosuc (Zerbinetta), Peter Mati (Steward), Cornelius Obonya (Monsieur Jourdain), Roberto Saccà, Regina Fritsch and Stefanie Dvorak.

Ariadne auf Naxos was the third collaboration by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, written directly after the great success of Der Rosenkavalier. Originally planned as a "divertissement with a small chamber orchestra", the project expanded into a grand venture combining opera, drama and ballet - and was a flop at its world premiere in 1912. Now the Salzburg Festival pledges to fulfill "the still-wonderful dream of its creators: to bring together the different genres of theater, ballet, drama, music and singing. "Sven-Eric Bechtolf will direct this unconventional production, and has not only adapted Molière's play Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, which preceded the opera at the time, but has also reinstated the ballet music written for it subsequently. "A hundred years have passed since Hofmannsthal began to work on this tale with the fiercely practical and dramaturgically highly talented Strauss, one hundred years since the disastrous world premiere of Ariadne auf Naxos. We take this 'anniversary' as an opportunity to revisit the original version. And where would this make more sense than in Salzburg? "--Sven-Eric Bechtolf

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
• Ariadne auf Naxos, Op. 60
1 Opening credits (0:42)
2 Le Bourgeois gentilhomme : Overture (4:08)
3 Act I : Scene 1: Liebste Gräfin, ich bitte Sie, weinen Sie nicht (6:30)
4 Arietta with violin solo (0:49)
5 Scene 2: Lass uns lieber gehen (9:35)
6 Duet: Kennst du ewig nichts als Kälte (3:12)
7 Das ist gar nicht so dumm! (4:30)
8 Fencing Master Scene (3:03)
9 Scene 3: Herr Haushofmeister, die Zerbinetta und ihre Truppe kommen doch bestimmt? (3:37)
10 Entrance and Dance of the Tailors (5:40)
11 Scenes 4 & 5 (10:10)
12 Intermezzo (3:24)
13 Act II : Scenes 1 & 2 (5:04)
14 Scene 3: First course - Second course - Third course (7:31)
15 Last course (2:31)
16 Was für ein geschickter Küchenjunge! (5:36)
17 Und wer sind die da? (4:22)
18 Wer ist Ariadne? (4:29)
19 Lieber Herr von Hofmannsthal (4:34)
20 Ariadne auf Naxos : Overture (3:44)
21 Schläft sie? (4:26)
22 Ach! Wo war ich? (2:57)
23 Ein Schönes war, hieß Theseus-Ariadne (7:14)
24 Lieben, Hassen, Hoffen, Zagen (2:08)
25 Es gibt ein Reich, wo alles rein ist (5:41)
26 Die Dame gibt mit trübem Sinn (4:57)
27 Großmächtige Prinzessin! (8:23)
28 Als ein Gott kam jeder gegangen (7:13)
29 Aber taube Ohren! - Eine Störrische zu trösten (5:29)
30 Pst, wo ist sie hin? (3:23)
31 Ein schönes Wunder! (4:10)
32 Circe, Circe, kannst du mich hören? (5:16)
33 Prinzessin! Welchen Botenlohn hab ich verdient? (5:17)
34 Theseus! Nein! Es ist der schöne stille Gott! (4:51)
35 Wie? Kennst du mich denn? (4:21)
36 Bin ich ein Gott? (4:48)
37 Gibt es kein Hinüber? (7:22)
38 Kommt der neue Gott gegangen (2:59)
39 Curtain calls and credits (7:52)

Wiener Philharmoniker
Daniel Harding musical direction
Sven-Eric Bechtolf stage director
Rolf Glittenberg set designer
Marianne Glittenberg costumes
Heinz Spoerli choreography
Ronny Dietrich dramaturgy
Jürgen Hoffmann lighting

Emily Magee (The Prima Donna/Ariadne)
Elena Moșuc (Zerbinetta)
Jonas Kaufmann (The Tenor/Bacchus)
Eva Liebau (Naiad/A Shepherdess)
Marie-Claude Chappuis (Dryad/A Shepherd)
Eleonora Buratto (Echo/A Singer)
Gabriel Bermúdez (Harlequin)
Michael Laurenz (Scaramuccio)
Tobias Kehrer (Truffaldino)
Martin Mitterrutzner (Brighella)
Peter Matić (The Major-Domo)
Cornelius Obonya (M. Jourdain)
Thomas Frank (The Composer)
Michael Rotschopf (Hofmannsthal)
Regina Fritsch (Ottonie/Dorine)
Stefanie Dvorak (Nicolina)
Johannes Lange (Flunky)

• Locations : Haus für Mozart, Salzburger Festspiele (Salzburg, Austria)