Variabile Salome. Dialogo scenico con musica da Richard Strauss

Abstract

In the story of Salome many details are missing. Something basically wrapped in darkness is the kind of attraction that drives the young princess towards John the Baptist. Why is she interested in him? Why does she reject Herod’s sensational offer? Why is she so blood-thirsty? This scenic dialogue is an attempt to shed light on the relationship between the two characters, and tries to figure out what they could have told each other, had they had a chance to meet in private, and not — as shown in Wilde’s play and in Strauss’ opera — in presence of Narraboth and other people. The pièce is preceded by a short essay dealing with the historical and literary sources used in the process of creative writing.