Richard Strauss’ Komponist: the journey of a role, from soprano to mezzo

Abstract

This article examines the changes in the casting of the role of Komponist in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. The article aims to establish the timeline of when this original soprano role became a staple of the mezzo-soprano category. The research involves an examination of the historical archives of international opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Royal Opera House in London. The conclusion reveals that the shift in voice type took place gradually between the 1960s and 1970s. The conclusion also proposes that the reason for this change lies in the development of the mezzo-soprano’s subcategories, which coincides with this period in the late 20th century.