Richard Strauss and his Heroines

This film sets out on exciting journey to discover the women in Strauss’ life, and is centered primarily on his relationship with the choleric and chronically jealous Pauline, to whom he was married for over 55 years up to his death. Pauline is still seen by some as a harridan who often embarrassed her husband in public. It is no surprise that Strauss at the beginning and the end of his relationship composed his finest songs for the trained singer who gave up her career for him and covered his back for the rest of his life.

We visit Strauss’ last surviving grandchild in Garmisch and we meet the great Strauss singers Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dame Gwyneth Jones and Christa Ludwig, who speak about their famous Strauss roles. Together with conductor Franz Welser-Möst we research the secrets of Strauss’ instrumentation genius. Strauss expert Christoph Wagner-Trenckwitz, member of the board of the Vienna Volksoper, guides us through the film.