- Hartlieb-Wallthor, Artur. “Die Personen im Rosenkavalier.” Richard Strauss-
Blätter30 (December 1993): 35–52.
Tries to identify real-life persons behind the characters. The Marschallin was
probably Countess Althan; Octavian may have been a member of the Rofra-
nos, an ancient Austrian noble family. - Hartlieb-Wallthor, Artur. “80 Jahre Der Rosenkavalier.” Richard Strauss-
Blätter21 (June 1989): 17–27.
Not a chronology, like those of Lesnig, but an overview in narrative style. The
Blätter has not published a detailed performance history of the opera. - Jefferson, Alan. “Tonality of the Rose.” Richard Strauss-Blätter25 (June
1991): 26–47.
A rather simplified approach to tonal structure of the opera, without diagrams
or details.
See also #1695.
Salome
ASO47/48 (1983), COH (1989), ENOG 37 (1988).
- Gilman, Sander L. “Strauss and the Pervert.” In Reading Opera(#218), 306–
Holds that composers choose libretti in part out of cultural considerations
and implications of historical and national contexts. The context for Salome
included Oscar Wilde’s great popularity in Germany, with the division of opin-
ion about his trial and homosexuality itself. Some writers linked sexual perver-
sion to the Jews, both being “anti-natural.” Wilde’s life and his play were both
regarded as perverted. Salome is not homosexual but is a “sexual hysteric”;
Herod has the “Jewish” quality of incestuous sexuality. But only Eastern Jews
were typecast this way. Modern, liberal Jews were in fact the ideal audience
Strauss wrote for, and those liberated Jews did accept the opera. Music is not
discussed. A dissertation also takes up the Semitic problem: Anne M. Seshadri,
“Richard Strauss, Salome,and the ‘Jewish Question.’” Ph.D. diss., U. of Mary-
land, 1998. vi, 350p.
- Boulay, Jean-Michel. “Monotonality and Chromatic Dualism in Richard
Strauss’s Salome.” Ph.D. diss., U. of British Columbia, 1992.
Die schweigsame Frau
- Lesnig, Günther. “60 Jahre Die schweigsame Frau.” Richard Strauss-Blätter
34 (December 1995): 57–110.
Not a great success, the opera has had just 67 performances worldwide. Lesnig
gives a chronology of them with programs and photos.
328 Opera