"Mein Gott, alles wird heutzutag' elektrisch": On the reception of Richard Strauss' and Hugo Hofmannsthal's operas in Viennese modernism

A co-production of ZHdK, Master Performance, Institute for Music
Research and SMG, Zurich Section

The reception of Richard Strauss' and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's operas in the context of Viennese modernism has rarely been considered, even though the authors and works are closely associated with the metropolis on the Danube. The lecture offers a survey of the perception of the operas of Strauss and Hofmannsthal in Vienna in the first two decades of the 20th century. A particular focus will be on Hermann Bahr's revue entitled "Eipeldauer Elektra", a multi-layered reflection of "Elektra" and "Der Rosenkavalier" against the backdrop of Viennese nostalgia and historical culture.