![]() ![]() On the cusp of adulthood, there's no one to understand or comfort her. The moon is another character in this work, always shimmering in the orchestra with high strings or clarinet wail. ![]() She praises the moon as chaste and pure as she is. What's a disconsolate 16-year-old princess to do? Her stepfather lusts after her, she has no friends, and hates life at court. This is operatic Euro-trash of the highest order. There's also a projected lava lamp on steroids seen in the prison of John the Baptist (Jokanaan in the opera), whose psychedelic blobs distract mightily whenever someone stands in front of the annoying kaleidoscope. There's a whole lot of debauchery going on. Madness.Īlthough these adjectives were used to describe the premiere of Richard Strauss' one-act opera masterpiece Salome (1905), adapted from Oscar Wilde's scandalous play, they could equally be applied to the current Houston Grand Opera production from Palau de les Arts Reine Sofia de Valencia.ĭirected by Francisco Negrin, with set and costume design by Louis Désiré, and video projection by Joan Rodón, the ancient court of Herod Antipas teems with slinky prostitutes in fishnets and bustiers, five Jews in 19th century greatcoats and bowler hats, Nazi storm troopers, banana republic generals, devout peasants in what looks like couture sackcloth, and sleek bare-chested guys of indeterminate sex wearing high heels. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |