Spo-fans (the depraved ones anyway) have wanted for years for me to disclose some of my dark side. They long to go into the dankest corners of my cranium to see the lurid, licentious, and vile desires of Urs Truly. The Board of Directors Here at Spo-Reflections would sooner eat rats at Tewkesbury than have it so, but this one slipped the censors – probably because they don’t find anything dirty or wrong with severed heads. I hope the satiates some appetites. Now lay off.
Whenever I am down in the dumps I merely have to turn on a recording of “Salome” by Richard Strauss and this invariably cheers me up. This is quite morbid as there is nothing cheery about the opera. Far from it! Salome is the most depraved, disturbing ninety minutes of pathology I can think of. I suppose it is the operatic equivalent of watching a really trashy reality TV family doing stupid awful things and shuddering at the delight of their depravity – all set to absolutely gorgeous music (mostly in E-flat).
For thems who don’t know the tale, “Salome’ is based (albeit loosely) on the Bible story of a young princess named Salome who dances for King Herod, who foolishly promises her anything as a reward. What she ask for is the head of John the Baptist. Trapped by his oath he obliges her. This minimal outline allows the reader to wonder what on earth were they thinkin; it certainly allowed Richard Strauss to come up with a humdinger of a sordid story. There is no intermission but 90 minutes nonstop degenerate depravity set to chromatic music (oh how jolly!). Just about every character is disgusting or a psychopath, ranging from the superstitious wicked old screw Herod who lusts after his niece Salome to Salome herself, who seems to have snapped a tether by play’s end. All she wants really is to kiss the prophet on the mouth. When she doesn’t get her way, she dances the dance of the seven veils and Herod creams his pants. She demands John’s head and there is no changing her mind not for love or money. The executioner is called and you think that would be the end of things, wouldn’t you?
The executioner presents Salome with the head of John.
Someone needs to explain to me why the executioner is naked.
The ‘highlight’ is after she receives mentioned head on a silver platter. She proceeds to roll around on the stage in a delusional ecstasy making love to the nasty thing. She has achieved her goal: kissing him on the mouth. King Herod has her promptly smashed to death for the sake of the community.
Needless to say when this scrumptious piece came out it caused a lot of scandal. Letters of outrage were written to the press and a boycott was called for and it became a hit. Since its debut the opera has never lost popularity. It isn’t done too often as it is a bitch to do for the star soprano has to sing nearly nonstop for ninety minutes while behaving in a most unlady-like manner. Sometimes the dance of the seven veils ends in the nude, so you can imagine.
Although there is not a drop of homosexuality to Salome, the opera comes across as quite ‘gay’. It has always been a favorite among the Opera Queens. Perhaps it is the Rocky Horror Picture Show elements that make it alluring, or the obsession with body parts; perhaps it is her passion for a man so intense she goes nutters and can’t see straight (pun intended). Who knows.
“I want to kiss you on the mouth!” I sometimes say to Someone. He usually runs away or reaches for any nearby defense weapon.
So there you have it. My dime novel delight is revealed for all the world to know.
Here isa clip of the finale. It’s a splendid watch but if you are in a hurry, fast forward to ~ 6.00 minutes and watch the last three minutes why don’t you.
45 comments
March 8, 2018 at 9:34 PM
truthspew
Oh man, that’s too funny. And yes the story of Salome is pretty awful.
March 8, 2018 at 9:47 PM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth
March 9, 2018 at 8:07 AM
Raybeard
But not if you’ve just been eating garlic or been smoking!
March 8, 2018 at 10:13 PM
Steven
O_O
March 8, 2018 at 10:18 PM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 8, 2018 at 10:51 PM
Raybeard
I’ve always found ‘Salome’ (the opera) the aural equivalent of being tied down and having one’s nipples rubbed vigorously with sandpaper – and I can vouch that it’s more than a mere passing similarity.
March 9, 2018 at 6:29 AM
Urspo
Richard’s father, when he heard the music for the first time, exclaimed: “God! What nervous music! It’s like having one’s trousers full of mayflies!”. Thanks, dad.
March 9, 2018 at 6:41 AM
Paul Brownsey
You should see what King George V said about the music from Strauss’s *other* shocker, Elektra: “When the Grenadier Guards band essayed an extract from Richard Strauss’s opera Elektra outside his window during the changing of the guard one morning, he sent a message down to the bandmaster: “His Majesty does not know what the band has just played, but it is never to be played again.” “
March 9, 2018 at 12:15 AM
Practical Parsimony
Get away from me. the bulges on her forehead are freaky. I watched the whole clip.
March 9, 2018 at 6:30 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 1:34 AM
Mitchell Block
“I want to kiss you on the mouth” will never sound the same to me again. And my immediate reaction to the executioner image is “Why the hell is he naked?” I wouldn’t want any “parts” to swing in the wrong direction while I was swinging that blade.
March 9, 2018 at 6:30 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 2:18 AM
Paul Brownsey
“Someone needs to explain to me why the executioner is naked. ”
Saves him getting all that blood all over his clothes. Sensible, really.
‘ “I want to kiss you on the mouth!” I sometimes say to Someone. He usually runs away or reaches for any nearby defense weapon.’
Do you do the dance of the seven veils first?
March 9, 2018 at 6:31 AM
Urspo
My dance has been judged rather shoddy and disappointing; stay away from “Britain’s got Talent” at all costs.
March 9, 2018 at 6:35 AM
Paul Brownsey
Oh, well, just the six veils, then, and leave us with our dreams.
March 9, 2018 at 4:18 AM
Todd Gunther
Yeah, yeah. Do the dance! Do the dance, Beavis! hehehehehehehe…..
March 9, 2018 at 6:31 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 4:27 AM
Mike Warren
Mothers, don’t let your sons read the Bible!
March 9, 2018 at 6:31 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 4:35 AM
anne marie in philly
bwhahahahahahahaha! so tame this desire! we want some REAL dirt; tell yo mama to avert her eyes!
March 9, 2018 at 6:31 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 5:58 AM
wfregosi
The executioner is naked because Dr. Spo has included a picture from the London production of some years back which went for decadence tooth and nail. At the end of the opera, with Salome lying on the ground moaning in ecstasy over having kissed John on the mouth, Herodias, Herod’s wife, arose from her chair in a skin-tight green dress, walked past her daughter as if nothing unusual was going on, and put an arm around the executioner’s waist, the two of them exiting the stage to do exactly what we think they’re going to do. It was a tremendous production of Salome and got strong reviews.
March 9, 2018 at 6:32 AM
Urspo
Sounds distracting from the music.
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 3:45 PM
Bill M
Exactly. It’s David McVicar’s production at the Royal Opera (2008), which is now in its second revival. I saw it live at Covent Garden in its first revival (2012-13?). Having heard about this particular scene, I was careful not to take my eyes off the stage at this point :-). Video from this scene was also part of the exhibition “Opera: Passion, Power and Politics,” that ran at the V&A Museum from last fall through last month. A wonderful exhibition and interesting that they chose Salome and this scene as one of its components.
March 9, 2018 at 3:54 PM
Bill M
And Dr Spo, ich würde deinen Mund küssen! (love the blog as regular reader an infrequent commenter).
March 10, 2018 at 2:29 PM
Urspo
Ich auch.
March 9, 2018 at 6:04 AM
grapeswhiz
** Makes an excuse and moves three seats over from Urspo **
March 9, 2018 at 6:33 AM
Urspo
John the Baptist did the same; look what happened.
March 9, 2018 at 6:09 AM
Sam
I once read executioners in some past cultures immediatley disrobed on the spot to leave the blood behind them. As I read it was to help them disassociate with the act. Or, I just think I read that once andimagine it is true.
March 9, 2018 at 6:33 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 7:54 AM
Ron
Rarely do I get the opportunity to kiss one on one’s mouth. But when I do it is always a major expression of like.
March 9, 2018 at 8:55 AM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 3:44 PM
Ron
You rascal!
March 9, 2018 at 11:08 AM
JR~
Have you seen the production with Birgit Nilsson as Salome?
March 9, 2018 at 12:48 PM
JR~
i.e., have you seen the broadcast of the Met production when Nilsson was in her 60’s? She did not look nubile 😉 and her performance was AMAZING
March 10, 2018 at 2:29 PM
Urspo
No but I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 9, 2018 at 12:22 PM
Old Lurker
Satiate our appetites? You have barely whetted them.
P.S. You really don’t.
March 10, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Urspo
I don’t want to kiss you on the mouth?
March 10, 2018 at 3:18 PM
Old Lurker
That’s correct.
March 9, 2018 at 3:08 PM
larrymuffin
I don’t think this site is family friendly. LOL!!!!
March 10, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Urspo
I want to kiss you on the mouth.
March 10, 2018 at 3:58 PM
Processorhalt
Salome (the opera) is based on Salome (the play) by Oscar Wilde – which accounts for its camp credentials.
Why is the executioner naked? Who cares!
March 11, 2018 at 8:48 AM
Urspo
Yes, you are current, it comes from Mr. Wilde’s rendition and not God’s (said my music teacher). All and all a better choice for a drama.
March 11, 2018 at 2:57 AM
Kato
https://goo.gl/images/KfBLcF
March 11, 2018 at 8:49 AM
Urspo
I remember seeing that painting !