# quick question re: Ariadne auf Naxos



## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Can someone tell me what the piece before Grossmachtige Prinzessin is called (where the entire troupe is trying to cheer up Ariadne) so I can look at various versions on YT please  Really love this portion of the opera, probably watched it a dozen times over the last few days.

e: dvd menu seems to indicate that it's called 'Die Dame gibt mit trubem Sinn' but there's only one other performance by that name on YT and it's strictly audio


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Another question: in the Zerbinetta / Composer duet, is Zerbinetta being honest + forthcoming, or just manipulating him to go along with the revisions? Suppose it depends on the performer's interpretation -- I can see this going either way.


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## Gualtier Malde (Nov 14, 2010)

rgz said:


> dvd menu seems to indicate that it's called 'Die Dame gibt mit trubem Sinn' but there's only one other performance by that name on YT and it's strictly audio


Yes, that's what it's called (trubem with u-Umlaut), the piece is indeed great fun (especially since it immediately follows Ariadne's big serious aria). On youtube, people tend to post the popular warhorses, for every not-so-famous aria posted by someone you'll find hundreds of (La donna e mobile)s.

I found two performances on youtube (search: ariadne + naxos + dame + sinn or something like this), both audio only.


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## Gualtier Malde (Nov 14, 2010)

rgz said:


> Another question: in the Zerbinetta / Composer duet, is Zerbinetta being honest + forthcoming, or just manipulating him to go along with the revisions? Suppose it depends on the performer's interpretation -- I can see this going either way.


I can't answer this for sure, but to me Zerbinetta seems clearly manipulating/mocking. Of course, this is in part the benefit of hindsight (how the opera develops), but to my ear, the duet also has a somewhat artificial, playful feel to it with the wide skips in the second part.

As it happens, I'm just reading the Strauss-Hofmannsthal correspondence, maybe I'll be able to say something of more substance later.


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