Richard Strauss
Salome, Der Rosenkavalier, tone poems
The most brilliant orchestrator since Berlioz. His tone poems stunned audiences with their pictorial vividness; his operas — particularly Der Rosenkavalier and the one-act shockers Salome and Elektra — dominate the operatic stage alongside Verdi and Wagner.
Key works
- Der Rosenkavalier1911— Vienna, waltzes, and the passing of time
- Salome1905— Oscar Wilde set to scandalous music
- Four Last Songs1948— An old man's farewell to the world