05/17/2025
Today is the live HD broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera of the thrilling new production of Richard Strauss’s SALOME. It will be shown in theaters around the world at 1pm ET. It’s a performance not to be missed!
I’m pleased to share my introduction to this opera with special guest Sommer Ulrickson, the choreographer who collaborated with stage director Claus Guth on this production. Together, they present a striking new interpretation of the work, including a reimagining of the Dance of the Seven Veils—performed by seven girls, each representing a different stage of Salome’s past. The result is a powerful portrayal of her long history of abuse by King Herod and the men around her, and her chilling reclaiming of her power and agency over those who exploited her. Chime in to hear the thought-provoking discussion on this with guest Sommer Ulrickson.
Check the link in bio 🔗⤵️
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Friends of Freiburg Board member Sarah Stephens gives an introduction to Richard Strauss’s SALOME
Dear Friends of Freiburg University,
In case you missed Sarah's Virtual Opera Introduction to Richard Strauss's Salome yesterday, we are sharing the link to the recording:
Yesterday's online event was truly enriching! We are especially grateful to our special guest, choreographer SOMMER ULRICKSON, for so generously sharing her time and insights into the creative process of this magnificent production of Salome! We were truly captivated by the dynamic and thought provoking conversation and it left all of us wanting to go and see the production this weekend!
The Met's production of Salome is playing on Saturday, May 17th in theaters near you!
Richard Strauss’s Salome (premiered 1905 in Dresden) returns to the Met in a gripping new production—its first in 20 years—conducted by the world renowned Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Directed by acclaimed German stage director Claus Guth, this psychologically layered re-interpretation sets the opera in a haunting world, rich in symbolism and shadows. Based on Oscar Wilde’s controversial 1891 play, which reimagined the biblical tale with poetic intensity and decadent flair, Salome follows the dangerously obsessed princess—portrayed by the mesmerizing soprano Elza van den Heever in one of opera’s most thrilling and vocally demanding roles—as she dances the Dance of the Seven Veils before demanding the head of John the Baptist. That seductive scene has stirred controversy since the opera’s premiere, and it remains one of the most talked-about moments in opera history. With Strauss’s lush, dramatic score driving the action, Salome is a wild ride through desire, power, and madness. To learn more about the Met's Salome, please click here.
Sarah Stephens founded her first agency in Bremen, Germany, in 1996, specializing in managing international opera singers, conductors, stage directors, and classical musicians across Europe. Holding dual German agency licenses, she has represented artists performing in major theaters throughout Europe and the US. In 2008, she moved to New York City and established Stephens Nicolson Artists Management. She attended the University of Vermont, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, and earned her Master's degree from the University of Minnesota. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Freiburg University Alumni in NYC, co-founder and former executive board member of OMAI (Opera Managers Association International), an artistic advisor for the Minnesota State Arts Board, and an active member of Opera America's Performer Development Network.
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Friends of Freiburg University is a 501(c)3 organization with an office at 871 United Nations Plz, New York, NY 10017
Friends of Freiburg University Alumni NYC Board member Sarah Stephens gives an introduction to Richard Strauss’s SALOME, the new production currently at the ...
