The opera we like the least of.... Strauss

[Schigolch]

The last of the 'big five' and the last of the composers in this thread, Richard Strauss:

Guntram.

[jflatter]

Intermezzo for me.

[Almaviva]

Intermezzo for me too. I find it incredibly boring and overlong.

[Schigolch]

Strauss's operas about marriage and love (Intermezzo, but also Die ägyptische Helena) are not very popular, indeed. I kind of like them, though.

[MAuer]

Here's another "vote" for Guntram, much as I like Reiner Goldberg's interpretation of the title role in the old LP recording I have.

[Mascagnian]

My thumbs-down vote goes to Daphne - some lovely music, but its mythic tale of the woman who is eventually transformed into a tree branch is not at all gripping.

[Almaviva]

My thumbs-down vote goes to Daphne - some lovely music, but its mythic tale of the woman who is eventually transformed into a tree branch is not at all gripping.

Yes, the libretto is not great, and it is not helped by the very weak staging preserved on the existing DVD (more like a concert version - very misleading cover picture, there's nothing like that inside)



But like you said, the music is very good, so I don't hold it low in my esteem.

[HarpsichordConcerto]

I can't vote for any "weak" Strauss operas so far that I have listened to. I am missing out on a few, including Guntram.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I don't get very excited about Strauss so I haven't explored any far flung repertory. I don't like Capriccio much.

[Schigolch]

Again, this thread is not about 'weak' operas, all of them can be very strong. It's just the one we like the least.

[Amfortas]

I'll have to say Die Liebe der Danae for now, only because I don't yet know it as well as several others. But I suspect it will rise in my estimation, even as I discover other Strauss I like less.