|
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Richard Strauss
|
|
Revival
Duration: about 4 hours, two intervals |
PRELIMINARY EVENTS
While out hunting, the Emperor had wounded a gazelle which had turned itself into a young woman, a spirit child. The two had fallen in love and the Emperor had made her his Empress. But their marriage has not been blessed with children, as the Empress has not yet become a real woman. In token of this she casts no shadow.
ACT ONE
A Spirit Messenger informs the Nurse that the Empress must return to the spirit world in three days’ time, and that the Emperor will then be turned to stone.
The Empress is told a similar prediction by the Falcon: “The woman casts no shadow, the Emperor must turn to stone.“ The Empress is willing to do everything to obtain a shadow so to avert this calamity. She learns from the Nurse that one might appropriate a shadow from some human being. As the Nurse despises humanity, the Empress has to constrain her to accompany her into the human world. The Wife of the dyer Barak is an ideal target: her marriage has brought forth no children, Barak is no longer young, and he has been reglecting the yearnings of his wife while working hard to support her and his three brothers. The Wife dreams of a different life. The Nurse gives evidence of her conjuring skill in promising the Wife riches and the love of a handsome Youth in exchange for her shadow. Convinced of the Nurse’s power, the Wife is inclined to relinquish her shadow.
ACT TWO
On the second day the Nurse and the Empress are still in Barak’s hut. Barak has gone to work: the ideal chance for the Wife to draw closer to her young dream lover. But Barak returns home unexpectedly early, and there is an altercation between him and his wife.
Meanwhile, the Emperor has gone to his hunting pavilion, where he hopes to meet his Empress. But the pavilion is empty. He senses that she has betrayed him. In the dyer’s hut, the Nurse is eager to carry out her malicious plans. This time she has given Barak a sleeping-draught so that he will not disturb his wife’s rendezvous with the Youth. But the wife loses her nerve and in her panic, she wakens her husband, accusing him of not looking after her sufficiently. In highest excitement she sweeps out of the hut, accompanied by the Nurse. The Empress on the other hand, is deeply moved by Barak’s simple humanity and has feelings of guilt towards him.
In a dream the Empress sees how her husband is swallowed up in a cave. She hears spirit voices and has a vision of the Emperor’s turning to stone.
On the third and last day, pangs of conscience make clear to the Empress that her desire for a shadow does not justify the treachery and ruthlessness of her actions and desires. But the dyer’s Wife is more and more convinced that she wants to relinquish her shadow and renounce to motherhood. Her altercation with Barak increases in vehemence and the accusations grow wilder; when she confesses that she has sold her shadow, Barak resorts to violence. Although she begs for mercy, Barak raises a weapon to kill her. Before he can carry out the deed, supernatural powers intervene. The earth opens and the world of the dyer sinks into darkness.
ACT THREE
The two couples are in a murky spirit world.
In captivity and isolation Barak and his wife recognize their guilt towards each other. Spirit voices summon the Empress to judgment.The Nurse tries to restrain her, but the Empress is determined to save her beloved husband. She seeks confrontation with the higher powers, and dismisses the Nurse. The spirits condemn the Nurse to live in the world of humans which she so hates. As a final test, the Empress is enticed to drink of the spring of the ”Water of Life“ to obtain a shadow. But she overcomes her own self and her personal desires. At the very same moment Barak and his wife are released and the petrified Emperor comes back to life. From far away, one can hear the voices of the unborn children.
While out hunting, the Emperor had wounded a gazelle which had turned itself into a young woman, a spirit child. The two had fallen in love and the Emperor had made her his Empress. But their marriage has not been blessed with children, as the Empress has not yet become a real woman. In token of this she casts no shadow.
ACT ONE
A Spirit Messenger informs the Nurse that the Empress must return to the spirit world in three days’ time, and that the Emperor will then be turned to stone.
The Empress is told a similar prediction by the Falcon: “The woman casts no shadow, the Emperor must turn to stone.“ The Empress is willing to do everything to obtain a shadow so to avert this calamity. She learns from the Nurse that one might appropriate a shadow from some human being. As the Nurse despises humanity, the Empress has to constrain her to accompany her into the human world. The Wife of the dyer Barak is an ideal target: her marriage has brought forth no children, Barak is no longer young, and he has been reglecting the yearnings of his wife while working hard to support her and his three brothers. The Wife dreams of a different life. The Nurse gives evidence of her conjuring skill in promising the Wife riches and the love of a handsome Youth in exchange for her shadow. Convinced of the Nurse’s power, the Wife is inclined to relinquish her shadow.
ACT TWO
On the second day the Nurse and the Empress are still in Barak’s hut. Barak has gone to work: the ideal chance for the Wife to draw closer to her young dream lover. But Barak returns home unexpectedly early, and there is an altercation between him and his wife.
Meanwhile, the Emperor has gone to his hunting pavilion, where he hopes to meet his Empress. But the pavilion is empty. He senses that she has betrayed him. In the dyer’s hut, the Nurse is eager to carry out her malicious plans. This time she has given Barak a sleeping-draught so that he will not disturb his wife’s rendezvous with the Youth. But the wife loses her nerve and in her panic, she wakens her husband, accusing him of not looking after her sufficiently. In highest excitement she sweeps out of the hut, accompanied by the Nurse. The Empress on the other hand, is deeply moved by Barak’s simple humanity and has feelings of guilt towards him.
In a dream the Empress sees how her husband is swallowed up in a cave. She hears spirit voices and has a vision of the Emperor’s turning to stone.
On the third and last day, pangs of conscience make clear to the Empress that her desire for a shadow does not justify the treachery and ruthlessness of her actions and desires. But the dyer’s Wife is more and more convinced that she wants to relinquish her shadow and renounce to motherhood. Her altercation with Barak increases in vehemence and the accusations grow wilder; when she confesses that she has sold her shadow, Barak resorts to violence. Although she begs for mercy, Barak raises a weapon to kill her. Before he can carry out the deed, supernatural powers intervene. The earth opens and the world of the dyer sinks into darkness.
ACT THREE
The two couples are in a murky spirit world.
In captivity and isolation Barak and his wife recognize their guilt towards each other. Spirit voices summon the Empress to judgment.The Nurse tries to restrain her, but the Empress is determined to save her beloved husband. She seeks confrontation with the higher powers, and dismisses the Nurse. The spirits condemn the Nurse to live in the world of humans which she so hates. As a final test, the Empress is enticed to drink of the spring of the ”Water of Life“ to obtain a shadow. But she overcomes her own self and her personal desires. At the very same moment Barak and his wife are released and the petrified Emperor comes back to life. From far away, one can hear the voices of the unborn children.
