A Masterful Synthesis of a Monumental Opera.
In 1946, in the aftermath of World War II and during his exile in Switzerland, Richard Strauss revisited one of his most ambitious and beloved operatic scores: the 1919 masterpiece Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow). Rather than creating a mere chronological medley, Strauss distilled the opera’s massive score into this Symphonic Fantasy, a self-contained, single-movement tone poem.
Strauss seamlessly weaves together the most powerful musical themes and emotional highlights of the opera. Requiring a massive orchestral lineup, the work sweeps the listener into a magical, fairy-tale sound world. From the dark, dramatic motifs of the Emperor and the spirit realm to the deeply moving, lyrical love themes of the dyer Barack and his wife, all the passion, mysticism, and late-Romantic grandeur of the original opera are brought to life in concentrated form.
The piece received its highly successful world premiere in Vienna on June 26, 1947, conducted by the legendary Karl Böhm. Ever since, this fantasy has stood as a brilliant and virtuosic showcase of Strauss’s unmatched orchestral genius.
In this transcription for large wind orchestra, all the rich colors of the original are preserved. A true challenge for orchestras of the absolute highest level.
Digital Score & Parts only available on request.