Composer

:

Richard Strauss

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1938 - 1940

First Performance

:

Aug 16, 1944

Average_duration

:

110:59

Movement_count

:

16

Movement ....

Die Liebe der Danae is an opera in three acts composed by Richard Strauss. The libretto was written by Joseph Gregor, based on a scenario by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera was composed between 1937 and 1940, and premiered on August 16, 1952, at the Salzburg Festival. The plot of the opera revolves around the mythological figure of Danae, a princess who is imprisoned by her father, King Pollux, in a tower made of gold. The king has been warned by an oracle that his daughter's son will kill him, and so he has locked her away to prevent her from having any children. However, Danae dreams of a mysterious stranger who will come to her and make her pregnant. The stranger turns out to be Jupiter, who has fallen in love with Danae and comes to her disguised as a shower of gold. Danae becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, but Jupiter's jealous wife, Juno, discovers the affair and demands that he punish Danae. Jupiter agrees to do so, but he also promises to make Danae immortal and to give her a kingdom of her own. The opera is characterized by its lush, romantic score, which features soaring melodies and rich orchestration. The vocal writing is demanding, particularly for the role of Danae, which requires a soprano with a powerful and agile voice. The opera also features a large chorus and a number of solo roles, including Jupiter, Juno, and King Pollux. Die Liebe der Danae is divided into three movements, each of which corresponds to one act of the opera. The first act takes place in the tower where Danae is imprisoned, and introduces the main characters and their motivations. The second act takes place in the kingdom of Midas, where Jupiter has promised to make Danae queen. The third act takes place in the temple of Jupiter, where the final confrontation between the gods and mortals takes place. Overall, Die Liebe der Danae is a complex and ambitious work that showcases Strauss's mastery of orchestration and vocal writing. While it is not as well-known as some of his other operas, such as Salome or Der Rosenkavalier, it is still considered a significant contribution to the operatic repertoire.

More....