Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Two great leading roles for women singers in ‘trouser roles’ – playing male characters – are a feature of this summer’s Glyndebourne Festival Opera: Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, and Handel’s Giulio Cesare.

In Der Rosenkavalier, the ‘rose chevalier’ of the title, the dashing young lover of the glamorous wife of a commanding officer, is sung by a mezzo-soprano. In this revival of a strikingly colourful production by Richard Jones, Kate Lindsey plays this seductive Octavian; her older lover is played by the American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen (20 May – 2 June) and then by the German singer Michaela Kaune (8 June – 26 June).

Strauss combines his skill for ravishingly beautiful orchestration and heart-melting melodies with his gift for both knowing comedy and pathos. The opera (and the affair) hinges on the lovers’ different ages: the youngster believes anything is possible, always, while the older woman knows that the boy will (and should) move on.

The opera was first performed in Dresden in 1911, six years after Strauss’s sensational Salome opened there, as featured in theV&A’s exhibition Opera.

Rising star Louise Alder sings Octavian’s rightful partner, Sophie at one performance (26 June), with the American soprano Erin Morley singing on other dates. Crashing through the two love affairs is the clumsy Baron Ochs, sure to be sung brilliantly by the popular British bass Brindley Sherratt.

Robin Ticciati conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the spectacular costumes are by Nicky Gillibrand.

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Der Rosenkavalier is sung in German with English surtitles. Public booking opens at 6pm on Sunday 4 March.