Guntram Performed by American Symphony Orchestra
First opera of Richard Strauss
By: Susan Hall - Jun 08, 2025
Leon Botstein, the ever-adventuresome conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra, brought Richard Strauss's first opera, Guntram, to Carnegie Hall. This early work by Strauss showcases a prolifically productive composer whose treasured operas and symphonic works would eventually become cornerstones of concert halls worldwide.
It is often noted that Strauss was enamored with Wagner in his early career, and we can hear references to Wagnerian phrases and chromaticism in Guntram. However, this opera also holds the promise of Strauss's future. With tantalizing hints of richer sounds, the composer uses notes like a painter’s brush to create vivid pictures and melodies. When his then-fiancée listened to him work on his compositions later in life, she would say, "Don’t stop. Go on forever."
Strauss nearly died from pneumonia the year before he wrote Guntram. To recover, he embarked on a long trip to Greece, Egypt, and Sicily, where he composed the opera. It premiered in Weimar the following year and, to say the most, was not a hit.
Strauss considered the third act as his prelude to the future. He abandoned what he termed "collectivism and tradition," marking a hallmark of modernism as future music was called at the time. While the orchestration may be thinner than the sounds we have come to expect, the drama erupts, and the compositions for both the tenor and the lead soprano are often lush and lovely.
Angela Meade sang the role that Strauss created for his future wife, Pauline de Ahna. The original soprano could hardly complain about any challenges her future husband would present: she is said to have mastered this incomparably demanding role both vocally and dramatically.
Ms. Meade, who we don’t hear often enough these days, was in top form, her luscious voice soaring to the musical stratosphere. Rich tones colored her middle voice. She was swathed in shimmering gold, playing the love interest of both her dreadful husband and a minstrel. This minstrel may have inspired William S. Gilbert’s comic response in minstrel Nanki-Poo, who faced a similar dilemma: he is in love with another man’s woman.
John Matthew Myers, the tenor, tackled the role of the minstrel with a beautiful sound and deep feeling. His helden voice has a soft edge, yet he brings this improbable character to life with genuine humanity.
The entire cast and chorus delivered impressive performances. The orchestra provided tantalizing hints of what we now recognize as the future Strauss sound, showcasing rich textures and gorgeous chromaticism. The composer’s ability to embed the voices within the orchestration is subtly suggested throughout. Harps are constantly present.
In the U.S., Ken-David Masur offered us a taste of the opera in New York last year when he conducted the Prelude to Act II. Anthony Walker, music director of Pittsburgh Opera, presented a complete performance at the now-ignominious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a decade ago. There’s no doubt that this opera deserves concert presentations, and Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra once again make a compelling case.