Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is widely regarded as Richard Strauss's finest score. This enchanting opera stars a pair of childless couples plus a supporting cast of spirits, secret messengers, and disembodied voices in a dreamlike landscape. The opera, which premiered in 1919, features a libretto based on an original story by Strauss's frequent collaborator, Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Its fairy-tale allegory evokes the world of Mozart's The Magic Flute, brought to vibrant life with the composer's spectacular, lush orchestral score — the most fantastically intricate work in the long career of this master orchestrator.
