Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 19 July 2025
Richard Strauss: Die schweigsame Frau
Because librettist Stefan Zweig was Jewish, Richard Strauss had to fight for him under the Nazi regime. But the opera’s difficult history isn’t just due to these political obstacles. Die schweigsame Frau, which premiered in Dresden in 1935, is also considered the most difficult of Strauss’ late Romantic operas.
Long sections of spoken dialogue paired with music present a particular challenge for conductors, and Strauss also places high demands on his singers. But the intense rehearsal work this requires proved to be worth it. The recent premiere at the Berlin State Opera – following the landmark Frau ohne Schatten in Dresden – marked another major triumph for Christian Thielemann. The brilliant Strauss conductor drew out the colorful score, which alternates between richly orchestrated passages and intimate chamber-like moments, with great delicacy. Under his direction, the Staatskapelle Berlin often played with lightness and restraint, allowing the text to shine through clearly.
Unfortunately, director Jan Philipp Gloger didn’t trust the timeless humor of this comedy about a grumpy old man who is cured of his misanthropy through a theatrical trick. His attempt to bring the story into the present feels forced. Feminist slogans and loosely connected references to loneliness and Berlin’s housing crisis come across as artificial. These are important social issues, but they don’t have anything to do with the opera itself. Still, the production, set in a spacious and elegant apartment (set design by Ben Baur), is at least visually appealing.
And Gloger does succeed in developing clear and coherent character portrayals, supported by a well-cast and capable ensemble. Peter Rose gives a convincing performance as the fool who hides in desperation under a lampshade when the supposedly demure Timidia suddenly starts shrieking. His aging bass voice sometimes lacks smoothness in the high notes and slips in pitch at the bottom—but that fits the fragile loner he portrays.
Brenda Rae shows great vocal stamina as she transforms from a sweet, innocent bride-to-be into a full-blown shrew. Her tone isn’t always the most beautiful, but she brings real energy to the role.
The brightest star of the evening is Siyabonga Maqungo, who delivers glowing, lyrical high notes – just the kind of tenor sound Strauss must have dreamed of for his notoriously difficult tenor roles.
‘How beautiful music is,’ says the newly reconciled old Morosus in his final reflection—echoing what the enchanted Berlin premiere audience must have felt. Only the next line – ‘but how much more beautiful when it’s over’ – would anyone disagree with. Strauss’ soulful music, in this sublime interpretation, left many wishing they could hear it all over again right away.