Opera Profile: ‘Die ägyptische Helena,’ Strauss’ Little Known Opera

“Die ägyptische Helena,” premiered at the Dresden Semperoper on June 6, 1928. In English, “The Egyptian Helen” was adapted by librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal based on the works of Euripides concerning the Trojan War. A less successful work of Strauss, the opera was revised in 1933. The dynamic role of Helena was written for Maria Jeritza, a larger-than-life soprano in {…}

Nov 22, 2019

Teatro alla Scala 2018-19 Review: Die ägyptische Helena

(Credit: Marco Brescia & Rudy Amisano) To close out the 2018-19 season, the Teatro alla Scala decided to present its first-ever production of R. Strauss’ “Die ägyptische Helena,” which was created between “Intermezzo” and “Arabella.” It was a work in which Strauss turned his focus back toward Greek myths, with the huge orchestrations that he had employed in “Elektra” and {…}