Der Rosenkavalier
Royal Opera House, 17th December to 24th January 2017
When it was premiered in Dresden in 1911, Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss was an instant success and has rarely been absent from the repertoire since. The three terrific soprano roles must account for its popularity, in addition to the combination of romantic comedy and existential contemplation. After wheeling out John Schlesinger’s kitsch 1984 production one too many times, the Royal Opera finally delivers a new version by Richard Carsen that updates the mise en scene from 1740 to 1911. Renée Fleming plays the Marschallin.