The Santa Fe Opera

Skip to main content Skip to search
1992 production photo from Der Rosenkavalier

Der Rosenkavalier 1992

July 25 - August 26, 1992

Chivalry and romance…

… rekindles the elegance of eighteenth-century Vienna in Strauss’ masterpiece.

Music By
Richard Strauss
Libretto By
Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Synopsis

Act I

The scene is set in Maria Theresa’s Vienna. As morning sunlight streams into her boudoir, the Marschallin (Princess von Werdenberg) is embraced by her young love, Octavian (Count Rofrano) who hides when breakfast is brought, then again when loud voices are heard in the antechamber. The unexpected visitor is the Marschallin’s coarse cousin, Baron Ochs, who has come to discuss his pending marriage to Sophie von Faninal, daughter of a wealthy bourgeois. When he asks what knight could present Sophie with the silver engagement rose, the Marschallin suggests Octavian, who at the moment, disguised as the chambermaid Mariandel to avoid discovery, is flirting with Baron Ochs. As the room fills with retainers, petitioners and even an Italian tenor (whose aria is cut short by the Baron’s wrangling with a lawyer over Sophie’s dowry), Mariandel escapes; Ochs enlists a pair of Italian intriguers, Annina and Valzacchi, to locate her. When the room is cleared, the Marschallin muses on her wandering youth. Returning, Octavian is stunned when she suggests that one day he will tire of her; he leaves without a kiss. Starting up out of her reverie, the Marschallin calls him back, but late. Summoning a page, she sends the silver rose to Octavian.

Act II

Heralded by much excitement and swarms of lackeys, Octavian enters the Faninal’s ornate foyer and presents the silver rose to Sophie. The girl’s duenna, Marianne, chaperones a conversation between the youngsters, during which they begin to feel attracted to each other. Now Ochs bursts in, shocking Sophie with his crudity before going off with her father. Octavian embraces her, but the pair is caught by Annina and Valzacchi, who summon Ochs. When Octavian grazes the Baron’s arm with his sword, Ochs sends up a melodramatic yelp; in the ensuing confusion, Sophie tells her father she will never marry Ochs, while Octavian hires Annina and Valzacchi. When the Baron is alone, nursing his wound with wine, Annina comes in with a letter from Mariandel asking for a rendezvous. Intoxicated with his own charm, Ochs waltzes ecstatically around the room.

Act III

At Octavian’s instigation, the intriguers help prepare a room in a dingy inn. During Ochs’ and “Mariandel’s” intimate supper, grotesque heads pop out of trap doors and secret panels, terrifying the guilty Baron. Disguised, Annina runs in shrieking that Ochs is the father of her many children. The police soon arrive, followed by Faninal, who summons Sophie to disclaim Ochs’ wild assertion that Mariandel is his legitimate fiancée. The Marschallin sweeps in, forces the Baron to renounce Sophie, smooths over the scandal, then turns to Octavian. Lamenting that she must relinquish her lover so soon, she nevertheless accepts the truth and releases the bewildered boy to Sophie. Alone, the lovers marvel at their happiness, which seems a dream come true.

Artists

Santa Fe Opera

Ashley Putnam

Soprano

The Marschallin

Susanne Mentzer Headshot

Susanne Mentzer

Mezzo-soprano

Octavian (July 25 - August 11)

Emily Golden headshot

Emily Golden

Mezzo-soprano

Octavian (August 19 & 26)

Santa Fe Opera

Cheryl Parrish

Soprano

Sophie

Eric Halfvarson headshot

Eric Halfvarson

Bass-baritone

Baron Ochs

Ragnar Ulfung headshot

Ragnar Ulfung

Tenor

Valzacchi

Joyce Castle headshot

Joyce Castle

Mezzo-soprano

Annina

Kevin Skiles headshot

Kevin Skiles

Tenor

Major Domo/A Landlord

Darren Keith Woods headshot

Darren Keith Woods

Tenor

An Animal Vendor

Stanford Olsen headshot

Stanford Olsen

Tenor

An Italian Tenor

Santa Fe Opera

Julian Patrick

Baritone

Herr von Faninal

Santa Fe Opera

Susan Neves

Soprano

Marianne

Santa Fe Opera

James Ramlet

Bass

Police Commissioner

James Martin headshot

James Martin

Baritone

Lackey/Dr. Medicus

Craig Montgomery headshot

Craig Montgomery

Tenor

Lackey/Waiter

Wright Moore headshot

Wright Moore

Tenor

Lackey

Santa Fe Opera

Mark Schnaible

Baritone

Lackey/Waiter

Santa Fe Opera

Julia Anne Wolf

Mezzo-soprano

A Widow

Santa Fe Opera

Abbie Furmansky

Soprano

Orphan/Child

Santa Fe Opera

Mary Phillips

Mezzo-soprano

Orphan

Ellen Rabiner headshot

Ellen Rabiner

Contralto

Orphan/Child

Santa Fe Opera

Laura Knoop

Soprano

A Milliner

Santa Fe Opera

Denise Oustalet

Dancer

A Flutist

Santa Fe Opera

Frank Dellapolla

Dancer

A Hairdresser

Santa Fe Opera

Derrick Lawrence

Bass-baritone

The Notary/House Boots

Santa Fe Opera

Jefferson Baum

Dancer

Leopold

Santa Fe Opera

Jonathan P. Oehler

Bass-baritone

Servant/Coachman

Jamie Offenbach headshot

Jamie Offenbach

Bass-baritone

Servant/Coachman

Santa Fe Opera

Timothy R. Tucker

Bass-baritone

Servant/Musician

Santa Fe Opera

Michael W. Nicholson

Tenor

Faninal's Major Domo

Bruce Baumer headshot

Bruce Baumer

Bass

Waiter

Santa Fe Opera

Kirk Vaughn-Robinson

Baritone

Waiter

Yvonne Gonzales headshot

Yvonne Gonzales

Soprano

Child

Santa Fe Opera

Patricia Prunty

Soprano

Child

Santa Fe Opera

Chris Owens

Baritone

Musician

Eric S. Thomas headshot

Eric S. Thomas

Baritone

Musician

John Crosby headshot

John Crosby

Conductor

John Copley headshot

John Copley

Director

John Conklin headshot

John Conklin

Scenic Designer

Santa Fe Opera

David Walker

Costume Designer

Craig Miller headshot

Craig Miller

Lighting Designer

Gary Wedow headshot

Gary Wedow

Chorus Master