Der Rosenkavalier Synesthesia

If Der Rosenkavalier is an opera made of crystal and light, this final trio is the prism for the entire work. In an absolutely ethereal combination of soprano voices, Strauss spins and spins three separate melodies until they finally coalesce in a brilliant single ray of sound, then disperse back into their diverse colors. If St. Augustine were here today, I'm sure he would want to include this music in De Trinitate.

What follows are some of the major recent interpretations of the trio with some of the greatest voices of the last three decades. My dream team? Kiri te Kanawa/Renee Fleming (tie), Susan Graham, and Lucia Popp/Judith Blegen (tie).

Munich, 1979
Gwyneth Jones (Feldmarchallin), Brigitte Fassbaender (Octavian), Lucia Popp (Sophie),



Metropolitan Opera, 1982,(subtitled in English)
Dame Kiri te Kanawa as the Marschallin, Judith Blegen as Sophie, Tatiana Troyanos as Octavian.



Met 100 Gala, 1983 (concert version)
Kathleen BATTLE, Elisabeth SODERSTROM, Frederica von STADE)




Salzburg, 1984 (subtitled in Italian)

Tomowa-Sintow (Marschalin),Baltsa (Quin Quin),Moll,Perry (Sophie),Karajan)



Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 2009 (subtitled in German)
Feldmarschallin: Renée Fleming, Octavian: Sophie Koch, Sophie: Diana Damrau