by Nathan Southern
synopsis
Richard Strauss's Salome - one of the most physically and emotionally exhausting modern operas to perform - receives a home release in this film of the Berlin-based Deutsch Oper's 1990 performance. Featuring Catherine Malfitano as the titular femme fatale, Simon Estes as Jochanaan, aka John the Baptist, and Horst Hiestermann as Herod, Salome opens with John the Baptist proclaiming the coming of the Messiah from his prison cell. When Salome requests the presence of John and makes sexual advances at him - only to be rebuffed - she returns the insult by agreeing to dance for Herod on the condition that he bring her John's head on a plate; Herod complies. Peter Weigl produced this stage version with Giuseppe Sinopoli conducting.
