Der Rosenkavalier
also The Knight of the Rose, The Rose Bearer, Le chevalier à la rose, Il cavaliere della rosa
opera · Komödie für Musik in drei Aufzügen
Composer Richard Strauss
Librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Synopsis
The Marschallin's young lover Octavian is drawn into the schemes of her boorish cousin Ochs, who needs an emissary to carry a silver rose to his betrothed, Sophie. Octavian and Sophie fall in love on sight, setting up a triangle Ochs is too oblivious to see coming.
Key facts
- Premiere
- 26 January 1911, Königliches Opernhaus, Dresden
- Acts
- 3
- Language
- German (de)
- Setting
- Vienna, in the first years of Maria Theresa's reign.
Notes
The only version. Strauss made cuts for the Berlin staging later in 1911 and further cuts were common practice for decades, particularly in Act III, but no distinct performing text resulted and houses now generally play it complete. Hofmannsthal's libretto is original, though it borrows freely from Molière, from Louvet de Couvray's Faublas and from Hogarth.
Dramatis personae
| Role | Voice | Created by |
|---|---|---|
| Die Feldmarschallin Fürstin Werdenberg A princess in her thirties. | soprano (lyric, dramatic) | Margarethe Siems |
| Octavian, Graf Rofrano A boy of seventeen. | mezzo-soprano | Eva von der Osten |
| Sophie von Faninal Newly out of the convent and betrothed to Ochs. | soprano (lyric) | Minnie Nast |
| Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau The Marschallin's country cousin, vain and predatory. | bass (buffo) | Karl Perron |
| Herr von Faninal A newly ennobled arms supplier, Sophie's father. | baritone | Karl Scheidemantel |
| Annina An intriguer, working with Valzacchi. | contralto | Erna Freund |
| Valzacchi An intriguer, working with Annina. | tenor (spieltenor) | Hans Rüdiger |
| Ein Sänger An Italian tenor. | tenor (lyric) | Fritz Soot |
| Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin Sophie's duenna. | soprano | Riza Eibenschütz |
| Ein Notar A notary, drawing up Sophie's marriage contract. | bass | Ludwig Ermold |
| Ein Polizeikommissar A police inspector, called to the Marschallin's levée. | bass | Julius Puttlitz |
| Ein Wirt An innkeeper. | tenor | Josef Pauli |
| Faninals Haushofmeister Faninal's major-domo. | tenor | Fritz Soot |
| Der Marschallin Haushofmeister The Marschallin's major-domo. | tenor | Anton Erl |
| Eine Modistin A milliner, come to the Marschallin's levée. | soprano | Elisa Stünzner |
| Ein Tierhändler An animal vendor, come to the Marschallin's levée. | tenor | Josef Pauli |
| Erste Waise One of three orphans of noble family, come to the Marschallin's levée. | soprano | Maria Keldorfer |
| Zweite Waise One of three orphans of noble family, come to the Marschallin's levée. | mezzo-soprano | Gertrud Sachse |
| Dritte Waise One of three orphans of noble family, come to the Marschallin's levée. | contralto | Paula Seiring |
Source
Original libretto.
Written from
- Osborne, C. (1988) The Complete Operas of Richard Strauss: A Critical Guide. London: Michael O'Mara Books, pp. 72-91.