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Salome (Op. 54)
100'
French - German
Synopsis
Salome, the stepdaughter of King Herod, flees the banquet hall and becomes obsessed with the voice of the imprisoned prophet Jochanaan. When he rejects her advances, she demands his head as a reward for dancing the Dance of the Seven Veils. Her wish is granted, and in the final scene, she passionately kisses the severed head, after which the horrified Herod orders her execution.
Composer
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Lyricist / Librettist / Playwright
Oscar Wilde (original French play); German translation by Hedwig Lachmann, adapted by the composer.
Year of composition/publication / premiere
1904
Genre
Opera
LGBTQAI+ category
Gay, Queer
Level of centrality
Secondary character
Characters
Narraboth, Page of Herodias
Voice type
Tenor, Contralto
Pronouns
he/him
Publisher / Rights holder
Boosey & Hawkes (Bote & Bock)
Where to buy / access the work
The vocal score and study score are available for purchase from the publisher's website (Boosey & Hawkes) and major sheet music retailers.
Performance rights
For performance rights, please contact the composer and/or publisher to ensure legal compliance.
Official website
Audio recording(s)
Video performance(s)
Keywords
Salome, Richard Strauss, Oscar Wilde, opera, queer, homosexuality, fin de siècle, Dance of the Seven Veils, Decadence, modernism