Welcome to the Ether Game Weekly Podcast! As we begin the month of Sept-ember, we're look at some sept-acular selections that have to do with the number seven, in a show we're calling "Lucky Number Seven." So, roll the dice and see if you can guess this numerical piece! To get you started (or for those of you who just cannot wait for Tuesday nights), you can sharpen your skills with our podcast selection. Remember to keep your ears out for a portion of Tuesday night's Teaser selection. And don't forget to tune into the full show on Tuesday, September 6th at 8:00pm for a chance to win a prize!
Richard Strauss (1864–1949): SALOME: Dance of the Seven Veils
Vienna Philharmonic; André Previn, conductor. Richard Strauss: Orchestermusik (Deutsche Grammophon)
The gruesome tale of Salome, the step-daughter of King Herod, has long been an inspiration for some great, albeit disturbing, pieces of art. According to the Gospel of Matthew, on King Herod's birthday, his step-daughter performs for him a dance that so pleases the king, he offers anything to Salome as a reward for her performance. She asks for only one thing: the head of the imprisoned John the Baptist on a silver platter! Oscar Wilde's play of the same name-which was the basis for Richard Strauss's opera-amps up the sexuality and blood-thirstiness of the lead character, turning her dance into the erotic "Dance of the Seven Veils." The salaciousness of the dance, and the amount of veils remaining on Salome at its conclusion, vary from production to production. It depends on the discretion (or lack thereof) of the director and soprano.
