The Strauss-Hofmannstal Ariadne holds a special place in operatic history as well as in the world of art as such, and above all in the life and development of this singular partnership between poet and composer which was to last for over twenty years.

In the works of these two artists it is always of particular interest to follow the gradual act of creation—the constant development of “the first idea,” which like a plant is being carefully watched and cultivated until it finally reaches maturity.