Comedy for music in 3 acts
Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
First performed January 26 1911, Dresden
This production first seen May 24 2015
Sung in German with German & English surtitles
Introductory talks (in German) begin in the Holzfoyer 30 mins before curtain up, and can be heard here shortly before opening night
Act I The Marschallin made the most of her husband's absence by spending the night with her young lover, Graf Octavian Rofrano. A lot of noise is heard outside early in the morning. Worried that he's come home early, she makes Octavian hide, but it's Baron Ochs, one of the Marschallin's distant cousins. Octavian, unable to leave undetected, disguises himself as »Mariandel«, a shy maid from the country, to whom the Baron's immediately attracted. The Baron, en route to marry Sophie, daughter of the wealthy Herr von Faninal, asks the Marschallin to suggest someone to deliver the traditional silver rose, the token of his love. He continues making improper suggestions to »Mariandel«, which amuses the Marschallin, who suggests that Octavian could be the Rosenkavalier. When Ochs sees a picture of him he's startled by his resemblance to »Mariandel«, who manages to escape the Baron's blatent passes by admitting those waiting for the levee to begin. After the morning reception's run its usual course, the Marschallin's overcome by melancholy, sensing the relentless passing of time and that she's powerless to slow it down. Even Octavian, no longer disguised as »Mariandel«, can't console her, quite the reverse: the Marschallin knows that one day he'll leave her for someone younger. Act 2 Faninal takes his leave from his daughter so – as custom demands – she can receive the Rosenkavalier alone. The Leitmetzerin (duenna) can hardly wait. The solemn presentation of the rose is the beginning of Sophie and Octavian's love. When Sophie's introduced to her future husband she's horrified by his crude manners. Octavian, fuming, sees how blatently Ochs makes it clear to Sophie how he intends to assert his rights as a husband. While the Baron's signing the marriage contract in an adjoining room, Sophie and Octavian proclaim their love, but are overheard by Annina and Valzacchi, a scheming couple who immediately call for the Baron. Octavian wounds Ochs slightly when he tries to make Sophie sign the marriage contract. Complete chaos ensues. The Baron, relieved the wound's not serious, soon cheers up, even more so when Annina hands him a note from »Mariandel«. Octavian's the mastermind behind this trick, who secured her services to make sure the Baron got this invitation to a rendezvous. Act 3 Octavian, with Annina and Valzacchi's help, has set a trap for the Baron. His tryst with »Mariandel« can begin. Octavian's so good at playing the flirtatious maid that the besotted Baron doesn't notice how closely the net's closing in around him. Ochs' so spooked by what's going on that he calls for the police, but this makes things even worse: the police commissioner suspects that the Baron has seduced a respectable young woman. Ochs then passes »Mariandel« off as his fiancée, Sophie von Faninal. Faninal, unaware he's been given a role in this comedy, is summoned, with Sophie, and is outraged by his future son-in-law's behaviour. Then the Marschallin arrives, sums up the situation at once and delares that it's all a farce. She makes it very clear to the Baron that he's lost the game and must give up all hope of marrying Sophie. Ochs takes his leave, accompanied by mocking calls from the crowd. Octavian stands, helpless, between the Marschallin and Sophie.
After delving into antiquity for Salome and Elektra Richard Strauss started searching for something more amusing for his next opera. He and Hugo von Hofmannsthal present us with a portrait of a pleasure-seeking decadent rococo Vienna in Rosenkavalier. Central to the story: the Marschallin and her young lover Octavian, who falls in love with Sophie, a girl about to marry the Marschallin’s unspeakable cousin Baron Ochs, when he’s charged with taking a silver rose to her on his behalf … Strauss’ score’s bursting with opulent music and tipsily waltzing atmosphere and melancholy moments, such as when the Marschallin reflects on the transience of life. Claus Guth’s production – a »dark comedy with fatal consequences« (Deutschlandfunk (radio) – takes up on this.
