Die Tote Stadt - Music

Music

Korngold's score shows the influence of both Richard Strauss and Giacomo Puccini, in the rich, detailed scoring, and soaring bel canto vocal writing respectively. He uses a huge Strauss-sized orchestra, but fills Die tote Stadt with an abundance of gorgeous and memorable melodies à la Puccini.

The two most famous excerpts from the opera are "Glück das mir verblieb" (also known as "Mariettas Lied"; in context a duet for tenor and soprano but usually presented in concert as a soprano aria), and the lovely aria for baritone, “Tanzlied des Pierrots.”

On the whole, the music is consistently of very high quality, certainly at the level of many more frequently performed Strauss operas. The most likely reason for the opera’s neglect is the extreme difficulty of the two lead roles, Paul and Marietta.

A tenor who would attempt the part of Paul must have the stamina to stay on stage and sing almost constantly for two hours over a gigantic orchestra. But unlike Wagner’s tenor parts, which demand great stamina but not many high notes, the role of Paul in Die Tote Stadt is filled with many high B-flats and A-naturals, making the part nearly impossible to cast. Well-known Pauls have included James King and René Kollo.

The high tessitura of Marietta's demanding role could probably be navigated by any soprano who sings the Empress in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. Among singers who have essayed the role in recent years is Carol Neblett, who performed it at the New York City Opera and later recorded it.