Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, 19 July 2025
Richard Strauss: Die Liebe der Danae
Richard Strauss completed Die Liebe der Danae already in 1940, during World War II. It was meant to premiere at the Salzburg Festival in 1944, but only a private dress rehearsal took place. The opera didn’t get a full public performance until 1952, three years after Strauss’s death, when Clemens Krauss conducted it in Salzburg. Since then, Danae has rarely been staged. At its heart, the story is about choosing between wealth and love. Danae dreams of marrying a rich man. The god Jupiter tries to win her over with gold and power, but she ends up falling for the modest Midas. The opera blends mythology with symbolism and comedy, which makes it a challenge to bring convincingly to life on stage.
In February this year, Claus Guth’s new production at the Bavarian State Opera was premiered and was now revived in July during the summer festival. Guth is known for diving into the psychological layers of Strauss’ works – something I’ve seen before in his Salome at Deutsche Oper and Die Frau ohne Schatten at Staatsoper unter den Linden in Berlin. In Danae, he takes a similar approach, focusing on emotional themes like identity, loss, and choice. The characters are sharply drawn, and their inner struggles feel real.
The staging moves the myth into a modern corporate world, with sleek glass walls and a setting that recalls Trump Tower. Pollux is portrayed as a Donald Trump-like figure – a bankrupt CEO clinging to old power. Toward the end, video projections show scenes of destruction: smoking skyscrapers, bombed-out Munich, and finally an aging Strauss wandering through his garden in Garmisch. In contrast, a quiet, loving couple (Danae and Midas) stands peacefully in the foreground. While the concept is psychologically interesting, the production ultimately feels too predictable and unspectacular – a more abstract and fantasy-like staging might have added an extra layer to the interpretation.
Musically, it couldn’t have been any better. Sebastian Weigle, a true Straussian, creates the rich, shimmering musical texture needed for such a complex piece, and the Bavarian State Orchestra gives a brilliant performance of a demanding score.
Malin Byström has already mastered some Strauss heroines, and Danae is now definitely one of her highlights – an ideal combination of lyrical warmth, power, and legato phrasing. She also conveys the human development of the title role – from hope and longing to genuine, self-aware love.
Andreas Schager, one of today’s most reliable heldentenors, delivers a passionate and determined performance as Midas, using his bright, metallic voice with infinite power. Christopher Maltman’s solid baritone voice has the perfect vocal authority for the role of Jupiter – he is both powerful and painfully aware of his fading influence. All the singers also displayed great stamina in this long and vocally demanding work.
As there are so few recordings of Die Liebe der Danae, I would be extremely happy and grateful if this performance were to be released on record in the future.