BY KIRSTEN BOLTON
For ArtSpring
The Metropolitan Opera’s latest production of Richard Strauss’ Salome offers a chilling and psychologically charged reinterpretation of the classic opera, broadcast live in HD May 17 at ArtSpring as part of its Saturday morning opera series.
Directed by Claus Guth in his Met debut, the staging shifts the powerful biblical tale into a late Victorian setting, drawing inspiration from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut to create a dreamlike and unsettling atmosphere.
At the heart of Salome is the beheading of John the Baptist — a moment first recounted in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, imprisons John for denouncing his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife. Herod’s stepdaughter, Salome, dances for him at a banquet; in return, she demands John’s head on a platter. A moment of lust and vengeance becomes legend.
It was Irish playwright Oscar Wilde who reimagined this ancient tale into the decadent, sensual and surreal play Salome in 1891 — originally written in French. Banned in Britain, it first premiered in Paris in 1896.
Wilde’s Salome is no passive pawn but a disturbing force of desire, obsession and defiance. Richard Strauss saw its theatrical potential and composed his operatic adaptation in 1905, premiering in Dresden to scandal and success.
The Met Opera’s new production honours this layered lineage. Soprano Elza van den Heever delivers a captivating performance in the title role, portraying Salome as a character deeply affected by past trauma. Supporting performances include baritone Peter Mattei as Jochanaan, tenor Gerhard Siegel as Herod, and mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as Herodias, each contributing to the production’s exploration of moral ambiguity and emotional depth.
The set, designed by Etienne Pluss, features monochromatic visuals that enhance the opera’s dark themes, while projections and nuanced lighting amplify the psychological tension.
Canadian Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Met’s music director, conducts Salome for the first time at the Met, bringing Strauss’ complex and colourful orchestration to life. At under two hours, there is no intermission, but the experience will still accommodate backstage interviews and introductory content.
Showtime is 10 a.m.