"Ariadne auf Naxos" was conceived as a one-act opera to be performed as an
interlude in an abridged version of Molière's play "Le bourgeois
gentilhomme". But due to the hybrid nature of the project, Strauss and his
librettist eventually decided to write a musical prologue to replace the
play. To fit in with its 18th-century conception and inspiration, Strauss
scored the work for a far smaller orchestra than his previous operas. The
charm of a mock old-fashioned harlequinade is set beside a virtuoso
handling of three types of soprano: coloratura (Zerbinetta), lyric
(Composer) and dramatic (Ariadne). This Vienna State Opera production,
featuring Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo, Trudeliese Schmidt and Walter Berry
with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Karl Böhm, drew rave reviews. In
particular, the young Edita Gruberova as Zerbinetta was heralded as the
"event of the evening," whose "exquisite phrasing, sublime timbre and
brilliant coloratura fireworks served up with witty and charming
nonchalance brought her endless and justified ovations. This was clearly
her final leap to the top of the world's best vocalists." (Vienna's popular
daily "Kurier," 22.11.76)
"The extraordinary greatness of the success was achieved thanks to a rather
simple, always tasteful and subtly humoristic staging by Filippo Sanjust as
well as to the not simply masterful but also eminently dramatic musical
direction of Karl Böhm... But above all, the special and particularly
satisfying greatness of the success was due to several protagonists who
sang more beautifully and securely than ever before and more so, even, than
many of their predecessors in these parts (Vienna's leading daily "Die
Presse, 22.11.76).
