Salon Strozzi: A captivating baroque experience for Wiesbadener!

Salon Strozzi: A captivating baroque experience for Wiesbadener!

The State Theater Wiesbaden experienced an impressive return to baroque music, where the evening "Salon Strozzi" was presented. Under the direction of Maëlle Dequiedt and the famous cantor Christian Rohrbach, the staging celebrated the life story of the important composer Barbara Strozzi, who lived in Venice in the 17th century. Strozzi was one of the few women who managed to draw attention to themselves in the male -dominated music operations of their time with an outstanding career.

Barbara Strozzi, born in 1619, was not only composer of cantatas, but also a singer who accompanied herself on the harpsichord or the Gambe. At a time when women in the music industry often faced hinder clichés, Strozzi consistently printed her works and met in the salons of her father, lawyer and librettist Giulio Strozzi, with influential men of the then cultural world. Her art today is a testimony to the creative spirit of a woman who asserted herself despite considerable social hurdles.

feminist perspectives on the artist's existence

The performance gives an idea of the challenges with which Strozzi was confronted in such a world dominated by men. However, “Salon Strozzi” goes beyond these historical aspects and also provokes questions about modern creative and social issues. It invites the audience to an interactive experience in which members of a chamber orchestra act together with the actors on stage and actively involve the audience.

The actress Silvia Hauer threw a light on the entanglements of art and complexity with a humorous tongue breaker. The performance brought these topics to the stage in a very accessible manner, provided with a cheerful note through musical interludes and scenic elements. Particularly noteworthy are the anecdotes from Strozzi's life that are clearly told by the actors in order to underline the historical context.

The ensemble around Young Doo Park and Katleho Mokhoabane contributions to the liveliness of the evening. Park impressed with a solo while Mokhoabane devoted himself to the deep tones. This multicultural composition underlined the universal attraction of Strozzi and its music, which even touches a variety of people for centuries.

A particularly unconventional moment was the interaction with the audience when the actors in Gorillam masks initiated the final. This original turn removed the weight from the previous serious arias and ensured that the connection between artists and the audience became more alive than ever. "Salon Strozzi" is not only an evening in memory of an extraordinary composer, but also a creative experiment that follows the question of how art and society influence each other.