Sir Donald Runnicles, the musical director for this recording, has been the general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2009 and is celebrated for his interpretations of Romantic and post-Romantic repertoire.
Composition History
Richard Strauss's opera "Intermezzo" is subtitled "A bourgeois comedy with symphonic interludes in two acts" and premiered on November 4, 1924, in Dresden.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In "Intermezzo," Richard Strauss wrote himself and his wife, Pauline, into the opera, with the character Robert Storch representing Strauss and Christine representing Pauline.
Compositional Technique
Unlike most composers whose intermezzi have dramatic relevance, Richard Strauss's symphonic interludes in "Intermezzo" are primarily symphonic rather than having an ulterior theatrical meaning.
Compositional Technique
Richard Strauss's "Intermezzo" features "musical prose" with a chopped-up, alternating singing diction more akin to everyday language, and includes melodramatic text spoken over music.
Recording & Production
This recording of "Intermezzo" was made live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in April and May 2024, in association with Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb).
