The premiere of the new production of Richard Strauss's opera Salome at the Latvian National Opera is scheduled for February 21. The production is created by musical director and conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, director and set designer Alvis Hermanis, costume designer Jana Čivžele, choreographer Elza Leimane, lighting designer Oskars Pauliņš, and video artist Ineta Sipunova.

The title role in the new production will be performed by Inna Kločko, while other leading roles will be interpreted by internationally acclaimed Latvian singers Egils Siliņš (Jochanaan) and Zanda Švēde (Herodias), as well as the distinguished Belgian tenor Thomas Blondelle (Herod). The role of Narraboth will be performed by Raimonds Bramanis or Artjoms Safronovs, while the Page of Herodias will be portrayed by Irma Pavāre or Laura Grecka. Other roles will be performed by soloists and artists of the Latvian National Opera Chorus, as well as dancers of the Latvian National Ballet. In future performances, the leading roles will also be interpreted by Latvian National Opera soloists Tatjana Trenogina (Salome), Rihards Mačanovskis (Jochanaan), Andris Ludvigs (Herod), Laura Grecka, and Ilona Bagele (Herodias).

Princess Salome of Judea is infatuated with Jochanaan, the prophet of new faith. When King Herod invites Salome to perform a dance for him, she demands a ruthless price in return – the princess wants the prophet’s head… The veiled events tell a story of obsessive love, more powerful than rational thought. Although the action is set in ancient Judea, in his latest production, Director Alvis Hermanis transports us to future Israel, where ideologies and religions have tangled in a tight knot, more so than anywhere else in the world.

Oscar Wilde originally wrote his drama, Salome, in French. It was later translated into German and became the libretto for Richard Strauss’s masterpiece, which premiered on December 9, 1905, at the Königliches Opernhaus in Dresden. The Latvian National Opera stage has seen four striking productions of Salome, where the principal part was interpreted by the outstanding opera singers Milda Brehmane-Štengele, Žermēna Heine-Vāgnere, Solveiga Raja and Ieva Kepe.

This season, Salome will also be performed on February 23, March 2 and 20, as well as on June 6 as part of the Riga Opera Festival.

Tickets are available at the Latvian National Opera box office and online.