On This Day

Richard Strauss' opera "Feuersnot" premieres in Dresden

Feuersnot (Need for (or lack of) fire), Op. 50, is a Singgedicht (sung poem) or opera in one act by Richard Strauss. The German libretto was written by Ernst von Wolzogen, based on J.

Feuersnot (Need for (or lack of) fire), Op. 50, is a Singgedicht (sung poem) or opera in one act by Richard Strauss. The German libretto was written by Ernst von Wolzogen, based on J. Ketel's report "Das erloschene Feuer zu Audenaerde". It was Strauss' second opera.

Thematically, the opera has been interpreted as a parody of Richard Wagner's idea of "redemption through love", with the character of Kunrad representing Strauss himself. The conceptual framework for the opera stems from the Nietzschean perspective that had inspired Strauss in his tone poems Till Eulenspiegel and Also sprach Zarathustra. Strauss and von Wolzogen shared the view that the source of inspiration was material not transcendental: in Feuersnot it is "redemption through sex" which relights the creative fire.

Historical Significance

Feuersnot (Need for (or lack of) fire), Op.

Key People

Richard Strauss

Musician

German composer and conductor

Events Before

  1. Compulsory primary school education in the Netherlands goes into effect

    Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil.

  2. Giacomo Puccini's opera "Tosca", with a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, premieres at Teatro Costanzi in R

    Giacomo Puccini's opera "Tosca", with a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, premieres at Teatro Costanzi in Rome, Italy

  3. The Trades Union Congress and the Independent Labour Party (formed in 1893) meet in London, resulting in a Labour Repres

    The Trades Union Congress and the Independent Labour Party (formed in 1893) meet in London, resulting in a Labour Representative Committee and eventually the modern UK Labour Party in 1906

  4. Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries rediscovers Gregor Mendel's laws of heredity and genetics

    Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries rediscovers Gregor Mendel's laws of heredity and genetics

  5. US Secretary of State John Hay announces that all nations to whom he sent notes calling for an 'open door' policy in Chi

    US Secretary of State John Hay announces that all nations to whom he sent notes calling for an 'open door' policy in China have essentially accepted his stance

Events After

  1. 1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan defeats Stanford 49-0; MVP: Michigan fullback Neil Snow

    1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan defeats Stanford 49-0; MVP: Michigan fullback Neil Snow

  2. Abdulaziz Ibn Saud leads 40 men over the walls of Riyadh and takes the city, beginning the Third Saudi State

    Abdulaziz Ibn Saud leads 40 men over the walls of Riyadh and takes the city, beginning the Third Saudi State

  3. Britain and Japan sign a treaty after months of negotiating which commits each country to supporting an independent Chin

    Britain and Japan sign a treaty after months of negotiating which commits each country to supporting an independent China and Korea, although it acknowledges Japan's 'special interest' in Korea

  4. US military leader George Marshall (22) weds Elizabeth Carter Coles in San Antonio, Texas

    George Catlett Marshall Jr. (31 December 1880 – 16 October 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the U.S.

  5. American Automobile Association (AAA) is founded in Chicago

    American Automobile Association (AAA) is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America.

More from the 1900s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on November 21, 1901?
Feuersnot (Need for (or lack of) fire), Op. 50, is a Singgedicht (sung poem) or opera in one act by Richard Strauss. The German libretto was written by Ernst von Wolzogen, based on J.
Why is Richard Strauss' opera "Feuersnot" premieres in Dresden significant?
Feuersnot (Need for (or lack of) fire), Op.
Who was involved in Richard Strauss' opera "Feuersnot" premieres in Dresden?
Key figures include Richard Strauss (Musician).

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