Richard Strauss’ Salome
Directed by David Levine
Work-in-progress
In development for 2025/2026
To be presented by Crossing The Line Festival
Excerpts from workshop production
December 14-16, 2024
National Sawdust, Brooklyn, NY
Click here to watch the complete, 30-minute video of the staging of scenes 1 -3.
Creative Credits
Concept & Direction: David Levine
Music Director: Simone Guiliani
Vocal Director: Christopher James Ray
Audio Engineer: Mike Flannery
Video Design: Andrea Merkx
Costume & Makeup Design: Emily Schubert
Lighting Design: Kate McGee
Subtitles: Katie Soule
Line Producer: Michelle Stern
Producer: Ariana Smart Truman
Assistant Director: Noah Gold
Costume Assistant: Holly Rae McClintock
Video Documentation: Geoff Shelton
Still Photography: Andrew Federman
Cast
Salome: Sara Gartland
Jochanaan: Norman Garrett
Narraboth: Charles Calotta
A Page of Herodias: Hai-Ting Chinn
First Soldier: Jesús Vicente Murillo
Second Soldier: Alan Williams
Salome synopsis
The Tetrarch Herod has murdered his brother and married Herodias, his brother’ wife. He has imprisoned Jochanaan, a religious zealot with a large following, for decrying his sinful act. Narraboth, the captain of Herod’s guard, is enamored of Salome, Herod’s stepdaughter, but Salome is fascinated by Jochanaan, and persuades Narraboth to release him. When Jochanaan rejects her, Salome’s obsession grows, driving a despairing Narraboth to suicide. When Herod, captivated by Salome, promises her anything if she dances for him, she demands Jochanaan’s head; she passionately kisses his mouth, leading a disgusted Herod to order Salome’s execution.
Scenes 1-3 synopsis
On a terrace at Herod’s palace, the young captain Narraboth admires Princess Salome from afar, even as his friend the Page warns that disaster will come if he continues to obsess over her. Salome, repulsed by her stepfather Herod’s advances, is intrigued by the voice of Jochanaan, uttering prophetic visions from the bottom of a well. She asks to see him, but the soldiers demur, citing Herod’s orders. Salome turns to Narraboth, promising him favor if he overrules the soldiers, and Narraboth, unable to resist, orders the prophet brought out from the well. When Jochanaan emerges, denouncing Salome’s family and prophesying the coming of “the Son of Man,” Salome’s feelings become passionate.
Thanks to
Tatyana Franck, Violaine Husiman, Catherine Baumann and Gaspard de Lencquesaing at L’Alliance New York; Ana DeArchuleta, Alex Barnes, Jimmy Dewhurst, Marielle Iljazoski, Garth MacAleavey, Damien Moffitt, Lauren Nordvig, Caleb Scianella and Brian Scuh at National Sawdust; Sol Kim Bentley, Gretchen Brodnicki, Maysoon Hamdiyyah, Anna McDonald and Sean Kelly at Harvard University; Marlan Barry, Claire and Jules Lehmann, Frank Corliss, Nunally Kersh, Edward Nelson, Robert Mollicone, Sherry Dobbin, Gideon Lester, Anne-Marie Levine, and Samuel Gelber.