Salome

Salome

The third great masterpiece of Richard Strauss from Irish National Opera, conducted by Fergus Sheil – starting with Elektra (2021), Der Rosenkavalier (2023) and now Salome (2024). Strauss’ epic, explosive and shocking story of love and lust taken to the extreme.
Irish National Opera

A royal, Succession–like power struggle. Lust and death at every turn. A king who desires his wild and wilful step-daughter. Her erotic fascination with a condemned prophet. The result is a horrific trade. Based on Oscar Wilde’s play. Strauss’s landmark opera was greeted with shock, horror, excitement, awe, respect, censorship, scandal and condemnation. Salome is still one of the wildest and most rewarding rides you can experience in an opera house

Star Irish soprano Sinéad Campbell-Wallace takes on the demanding role of Salome for the first time, surrounded by an top-level Irish and international cast. New production directed by Bruno Ravella, designed by Leslie Travers.

National Opera House, Wexford 03 March 2024 (Concert performance)

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin 12, 14, 16 March 2024

Creative Team:
Director: Bruno Ravella
Set & Costume Designer Designer: Leslie Travers
Choreographer: Liz Roche
Lighting Designer: Ciaran Bagnall

Cast:
Salome: Sinéad Campbell Wallace
Herodes: Vincent Wolfsteiner
Herodias: Imelda Drumm
Jochanaan: Tómas Tómasson
Narraboth: Alex McKissick
The Page of Herodias: Doreen Curran
First Soldier: Julian Close
Second Soldier: Lukas Jakobski
First Jew: Christopher Bowen
Second Jew: Andrew Masterson
Third Jew: William Pearson
Fourth Jew: Aaron O’Hare
Fifth Jew: Eoghan Desmond
First Nazarene: Wyn Pencarreg
Second Nazarene: Eoin Foran
A Cappadocian: Kevin Neville
Slave: Leanne Fitzgerald

Irish National Opera Orchestra
Conductor: Fergus Sheil

★★★★★ Conductor Fergus Sheil leads and controls the extravagance of Strauss’s magnificent, motif-laden score.  - The Irish Times

★★★★★ A slow and ominous build to the famed finale is achieved by conductor Fergus Sheil and his orchestra, capping a thumping triumph for Irish National Opera. A must-see  – Irish Examiner

★★★★ If the gore of the opera’s plot shocks, Strauss’ score still fascinates with its glittering, sensual harmonies which give way to its dark, mordant undertones. Conductor Fergus Sheil was able to the harness the energy of the INO Orchestra and direct its raging forces to produce a massive sound, yet one which the singers were big enough to withstand. Salome is a difficult opera to stomach but this production is both musically and artistically rewarding – Bachtrack

★★★★ Sheil’s magnificent musicians carry the expressiveness from moonstruck clarinet to cavernous contrabassoon and tuba… you feel the tension mounting in Strauss’s magnificently paced thriller – The Arts Desk

Fergus Sheil conducts the dramatically demanding score with perfect balance in a work that reminds us throughout that opera is the ultimate distillation of all the performing arts – The Sunday Independent

Shiel’s achievement in forging his company into a troupe which already tours internationally – its new production of Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade goes to Covent Garden’s Linbury Studio and the Swiss city of Fribourg in May and June – is gaining wide recognition. His programming and conducting of Salome only enhances the reputation of this ambitious company – Hugh Canning’s Operalogue

Conductor Fergus Sheil is commanding in the pit. He instructs with a fierce and passionate energy to which the Irish National Opera Orchestra responds in equal measure creating a truly first-rate performance – The Reviews Hub

Video of full production