New Immersive Production of Strauss' SALOME to Premiere at Tulsa Opera

This new production of Salome sets the action in the middle of a decadent and hedonistic birthday party for King Herod.

By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 28, 2022

New Immersive Production of Strauss' SALOME to Premiere at Tulsa Opera Image

Tulsa Opera will premiere a new production of Richard Strauss' Salome that will take celebrating the return of live performances to a new level by offering members of the audience the opportunity to not only watch the action, but to be immersed in it over two performances Friday, April 29 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The principal cast includes Julia Mintzer making her Salome role debut, tenor Jay Hunter Morris as Herod, and mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner as Herodias-all three singers making their Tulsa Opera debuts-and bass-baritone Wayne Tigges as Jochanaan.

Artistic Director Tobias Picker, says: "Here at Tulsa Opera we have waited more than two long years to celebrate our operatic return to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and we are delighted that it will be with such a creative, exciting, and unusual production directed and designed by Tulsa native and Cherokee nation member Thaddeus Strassberger who is making his Tulsa Opera debut. We have an especially powerful cast to provide new life for one of the cornerstones of the early twentieth century operatic canon. I am especially pleased for this to be Julia Mintzer's debut moving from mezzo-soprano roles to the soprano repertoire and expect we will witness the arrival of a major new Salome and enjoy an unforgettable, celebratory, and sensational close to the season."

Mr. Picker cast Ms. Mintzer following her critically acclaimed performances stepping into the title role of his opera Thérèse Raquin in a daring new production at Theater an der Wien in Austria with just five days' notice in December and January. Reviewing the opening night, Radio Klassik said: "The savior of the evening was American soprano Julia Mintzer... shining with an intense portrayal of a woman forced to marry a disabled cousin, falling in love with his best friend, and eventually helping her lover kill her husband... the result was harrowing and vocally impressive. Everything was just right."

The cast also includes tenor César Delgado as Narraboth, bass Kevin Thompson, who performed in Tulsa Opera's acclaimed Greenwood Overcomes concert, as First Nazarene, and the unusual casting of countertenor Ryan Belongie as the Page/Slave, a role that is traditionally performed by a mezzo-soprano. In total, eleven singers will be making their house debuts. Director, scenic, and costume designer Thaddeus Strassberger also makes his company debut with the production. The performances will be the Oklahoma premiere of Salome and feature a new chamber orchestration commissioned by Tulsa Opera from Nigel Shore to be conducted by Peter Ash.

This new production of Salome sets the action in the middle of a decadent and hedonistic birthday party for King Herod. The audience serves as the party guests and the festivities will begin before they enter the concert hall with local marching bands and drumlines outside the theater providing an ebullient welcome. Guests will then walk a paparazzi-studded red carpet into the lobby where dancers from Tulsa's Kripalaya Dance Academy will entertain with Bollywood dance moves while a DJ spins MIddle Eastern beats, a choir sings, gladiators fight, and tarot card astrologists roam. On stage, dessert is served with some members of the audience partaking in the feasting with two extra immersive VIP experiences: "Royal Court" party guests ($500) will receive onstage seating with the royal family and enjoy dessert, champagne, and coffee; "Herod's Entourage" VIP guests ($650) will be offered an experience including a pre-performance meal, a limo ride to the venue and red carpet arrival, and top tier seats on stage. Both experiences will see the guests interact with cast members, plus some other surprises. Auditorium seats (from $45) allow the audience members to participate in the party atmosphere at their own comfort level, although everyone is asked to attend with a festive spirit.

The concept of immersing the audience into the action amplifies the themes of Salome-the libretto of which is a German translation of Oscar Wilde's 1891 play that was banned owing to its depiction of Biblical characters on stage-enabling them to not only see and hear the opera, but to feel it.

Mr. Strassberger who trained at La Scala and has directed and designed over 60 productions in more than 15 countries, including in the U.S. at LA Opera, Bard Summerscape, and Washington National Opera, says: "Salome is an opera that isn't meant to be only heard or seen, but felt and get completely lost within. This production will be a 'mega-experience' filled with surprises, intimate details, massive emotions and gory details of a princess who stops at nothing to satiate her innermost desires. The decadence and absurdity of it all will be an experience to remember for a very long time."

Despite the extravagant and interactive production, Mr. Strassberger says the music always remains the central point of drama: "Strauss is a master composer, not just of the twentieth century but, I think, for all times. He really is in the pantheon of great composers, so you're able to immerse yourself in the middle of this music that's filled with colors and sounds that you don't hear every day."

Friday, April 29, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.
Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Chapman Music Hall

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

Richard Strauss' SALOME

Conductor: Peter Ash*
Director, set, and costume designer: Thaddeus Strassberger*
Choreography: Priya Raju

Salome: Julia Mintzer*
Herod: Jay Hunter Morris*
Herodias: Katharine Goeldner*
Jochanaan: Wayne Tigges
Narraboth: César Delgado*
Page/Slave: Ryan Belongie*
First Nazarene: Kevin Thompson
Second Nazarene: Spencer Hamlin*
First Soldier: Ashraf Sewailam*
First Jew: Pavel Suliandziga*
Second Jew: Makudupanyane Senaoana*
Third Jew: Marc Molomot*
Fourth Jew: Jason Ferrante*
Fifth Jew/Cappadocian: Joe Chappel*