Die Liebe der Danae
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| Operas by Richard Strauss |
|---|
Guntram (1894) |
Die Liebe der Danae (The Love of Danae) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Joseph Gregor.
It was to premiere in the late summer of 1944, but, following the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler, the Nazis closed the theatres and the opera was not allowed a public staging. They permitted a single (well-attended) dress rehearsal on August 16 so that Strauss could see the work performed. The first public performance was at the Salzburg Festival on August 14, 1952, after Strauss' death in 1949.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast August 16 1944 (Conductor: Clemens Krauss) |
Public Premiere cast August 14, 1952 (Conductor: Clemens Krauss) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | baritone | Hans Hotter | Paul Schöffler |
| Mercury | tenor | Josef Traxel | |
| Pollux, King of Eos | tenor | ||
| Danae, his daughter | soprano | Viorica Ursuleac, Krauss' wife | Annelies Kupper |
| Xanthe, her servant | soprano | ||
| Midas, King of Lydia | tenor | Horst Taubmann | Josef Gostic |
| Four Kings, nephews to Pollux | tenors, basses | ||
| Four Queens: Semele Europa Alcmene Leda |
soprano soprano mezzo-soprano contralto |
||
| Four watchmen | basses | ||
| Creditors, servants and followers of Pollux and Danae, people | |||
[edit] Synopsis
Danae, whose father King Pollux is bankrupt and beset by creditors, dreams of a wealthy husband in terms of a shower of golden rain. Royal envoys return with news that Midas, who can turn all to gold, has agreed to woo Danae, and his arrival at the harbour is announced. Danae receives a stranger who is Midas in disguise as his own servant. Strangely drawn to each other, they proceed to the harbour where the supposed King Midas (actually Jupiter in pursuit of another female conquest) greets Danae. Jupiter prepares for his marriage to Danae but, fearing discovery by his wife Juno, forces Midas to deputise for him at the ceremony. When Danae and Midas embrace, she is turned into a golden statue and Jupiter claims her as his divine bride. However her voice calls for the mortal Midas, she is returned to life, and the lovers disappear into the darkness. Jupiter announces that she will be cursed with poverty. Midas, returned to his former existence as a donkey-driver, reveals to Danae his broken pact with Jupiter, but Danae admits that it was love rather than his golden cloak that won her heart. Jupiter pays off Pollux's creditors with a shower of gold and, realising that Danae is far more than a passing amorous fancy, makes one desperate last attempt to win her back. However, she gives him a hair-clasp, her last golden possession, and the god accepts her loss with a moving farewell.
