Strauss - Ariadne auf Naxos / Voigt · Dessay · von Otter · Heppner · Dohmen · Staatskapelle Dresden

Given its final version in 1916, Ariadne auf Naxos abandons the excess of Salome and Electra, orienting itself toward neoclassicism in its juxtaposition of the world of antique opera seria with that of the commedia dell'arte. The Prologue--with its theater within the theater setup--is a playful treatment of the theme of art versus reality and of sublime love versus frivolity, represented by the opposition between a young composer (Anne Sofie von Otter) and a saucy comedian, Zerbinetta (Natalie Dessay). The cast assembled here is exemplary and basically not to be surpassed today, with Deborah Voigt in her famous turn as the title character and Ben Heppner as Bacchus. --Franck Erikson