Composer

:

Richard Strauss

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1933 - 1934

First Performance

:

Jun 24, 1935

Average_duration

:

140:49

Movement_count

:

32

Movement ....

Die schweigsame Frau (The Silent Woman) is an opera in three acts composed by Richard Strauss with a libretto by Stefan Zweig. The opera was composed between 1933 and 1934 and premiered on June 24, 1935, at the Dresden State Opera. The plot of the opera revolves around a wealthy industrialist named Sir Morosus who is seeking a quiet life in retirement. He marries a young woman named Aminta, who he believes to be silent and obedient. However, he soon discovers that she is anything but silent and obedient, and chaos ensues as he tries to control her. The first act takes place in Sir Morosus' home, where he is visited by his friend, the poet Henry Morosus. Henry is in love with Aminta's maid, Isotta, and the two of them conspire to help Aminta break free from Sir Morosus' control. In the second act, Sir Morosus hires a group of actors to perform a play in his home, but the play turns out to be a satire of his own life, and he becomes enraged. In the final act, Sir Morosus is forced to confront his own flaws and reconcile with Aminta. The music of Die schweigsame Frau is characterized by its lush orchestration and complex harmonies. The opera features a number of memorable arias and ensembles, including Aminta's aria "Ich bin die Frau Silberklang" and the ensemble "Ich bin die Frau Silberklang". Die schweigsame Frau was not initially well-received by audiences and critics, who found the plot and characters confusing and the music overly complex. However, the opera has since become recognized as a masterpiece of Strauss' late period, and is now considered one of his most important works.

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