Die schweigsame Frau (The Silent Woman) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with libretto by Stefan Zweig after Ben Jonson's Epicoene, or the Silent Woman.

Performance history

It was first performed at the Dresden Semperoper on 24 June 1935, conducted by Karl Böhm.

A work of great charm when well cast and performed, it has nevertheless proved one of Strauss' less successful operas. Strauss' association with a Jewish librettist in 1935 Germany provoked a hostile response from Hitler and Goebbels, and even after the war, it has enjoyed relatively few revivals.

It was performed at the Santa Fe Opera in 1987 and 1991, and also at Garsington Opera in 2003.

Roles

Synopsis

A rich, retired admiral, Sir Morosus, cannot bear noise of any kind, particularly his garrulous housekeeper, so his barber suggests she should be replaced by a quiet young wife. Morosus argues that a silent woman cannot exist and that he is too old to marry. His long-lost nephew Henry appears in pursuit of an inheritance and Morosus believes he has found alternative companionship. However, Henry is married to Aminta, a member of an operatic troupe, and his uncle has no time for such noisy activity. He dismisses the troupe, disinherits Henry and demands the Barber finds a silent woman for the next day. The Barber and Henry hatch a plan and present Morosus with three possible brides (the opera troupe in disguise). Morosus rejects the clumsy peasant (Carlotta) and the bluestocking (Isotta) but falls in love with the quietest called Timidia (Aminta). But as soon as the marriage is sealed her raucous true nature emerges - and she wants to buy a pet parrot. Henry promises to arrange an annulment of the marriage, but Timidia will not accept any bribes as she wants to remain Lady Morosus. Morosus's divorce petition fails but at his point of total despair the deception is revealed. His initial fury turns to laughter and the troupe salute him. Aminta offers daughterly love and Morosus is content to accept Henry as his heir: "A rare delight it is to find a silent, beautiful girl, but it is more delightful when she belongs to another man".

Selected recordings

There is a classic recording with Karl Böhm, the original conductor, and the Vienna Philharmonic. The cast is Fritz Wunderlich (Henry Morosus), Hans Hotter (Sir Morosus), Georgine von Milinkovic (the housekeeper), Hermann Prey (Barber), Hilde Gueden (Aminta), Pierette Alaire (Isotta), Hetty Plümacher (Carlotta), Josef Knapp (Morbio), Karl Dönch (Vanuzzi), and Alois Pernerstorfer (Farfallo) (compact disc DG 445 335-2)

And there is another recording with Marek Janowski conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden with the Dresden State Opera Chorus and a cast including Theo Adam, Annelies Burmeister, Wolfgang Schöne, Eberhard Büchner, Jeanette Scovotti, Carola Nossek, Trudeliese Schmidt, Klaus Hirte, Werner Haseleu, Helmut Berger-Tuna and Johannes Kemter (compact disc CMS5660332).

References

• Amadeus Almanac, accessed 6 November 2008
• Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5

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