Richard Strauss and his Heroines

The film “Richard Strauss and his Heroines” explores Strauss’ relationship to women. The primary focus lies on his attachment to Pauline, his wife of more than 55 years. Strauss experienced the most varied of epochs in German history, from the Empire to Nazi dictatorship and the post-war period. How did the image of women change in this time and what influence did it have on Strauss’ work? And above all: how did Strauss achieve to express the finest feminine feelings in his music?
Exploring these questions we meet Strauss’ last surviving grandchild who has first hand experience with the married life of his grandparents. Interviews with the great Strauss singers Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dame Gwyneth Jones and Christa Ludwig who report on their famous Strauss roles, Rufus Wainwright, conductor Franz Welser-Möst and other Strauss experts lead us through the film.
“Richard Strauss and his Heroines” is the first filmed documentation about the unforgettable heroines created by Strauss and how they affected his life and his marriage.The film “Richard Strauss and his Heroines” explores Strauss’ relationship to women. The primary focus lies on his attachment to Pauline, his wife of more than 55 years. Strauss experienced the most varied of epochs in German history, from the Empire to Nazi dictatorship and the post-war period. How did the image of women change in this time and what influence did it have on Strauss’ work? And above all: how did Strauss achieve to express the finest feminine feelings in his music?
Exploring these questions we meet Strauss’ last surviving grandchild who has first hand experience with the married life of his grandparents. Interviews with the great Strauss singers Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dame Gwyneth Jones and Christa Ludwig who report on their famous Strauss roles, Rufus Wainwright, conductor Franz Welser-Möst and other Strauss experts lead us through the film.
“Richard Strauss and his Heroines” is the first filmed documentation about the unforgettable heroines created by Strauss and how they affected his life and his marriage. Sie heißen Elektra, Salome und Daphne, Arabella, Ariadne und Danae – die unvergesslichen, von Richard Strauss geschaffenen Heroinen. Denn wie kaum einem anderen Komponisten gelang es Strauss, weibliche Gefühle in Musik zu übersetzen. Davon können die großen Strauss-Interpretinnen Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dame Gwyneth Jones und Christa Ludwig nicht nur ein Lied singen, sondern auch bewegend und eindrucksvoll erzählen. Und das tun sie in Thomas von Steinaeckers preisgekrönter Dokumentation Richard Strauss und seine Heldinnen, die Arthaus Musik nun auch auf Blu-ray Disc veröffentlicht. Nicht zuletzt setzt der Film Pauline eine Denkmal – Richard Strauss’ größter Heldin, Muse und treuer Gefährtin in 55 Jahren bewegter und bewegender Ehe.

SPECIAL FEATURE: „Richard Strauss - Skizze eines Lebens“
Der Dokumentarfilm Richard Strauss – Skizze eines Lebens nimmt die Zuschauer mit in die Strauss-Villa nach Garmisch, Familiensitz seit 1908, wo heute noch der Geist des großen Komponisten, begnadeten Dirigenten und überzeugten Kulturpolitikers wie zu dessen Lebzeiten herrscht. Richard Strauss war ein strenges Familienoberhaupt, dessen Autorität weit über einen Tod hinaus reichte. In Interviews berichten Gabriele Strauss-Hotter, Christian Strauss, Inge Borkh und Brigitte Fassbaender von einem Patriarchen, dessen Familie integraler Bestandteil seiner schöpferischen Arbeit war.