Salome at the Barbican: A Captivating Performance from an Exceptional Cast

Despite her intense desire for Jochanaan (John the Baptist), Salome’s feelings are complex, swinging between infatuation and repulsion—his leprous skin and unkempt hair repulse her. The sentiment is mutual; “daughter of Sodom” is one of the kinder insults Jochanaan hurls at her. Michael Volle brilliantly captures this mix of disdain and self-righteousness, a trait that Strauss himself criticized in the character. Even with a limping entrance due to an accident on the London underground, Volle’s performance was powerful and striking. His portrayal remains one of the finest today, delivering lines with a fierce intensity. The chilling words of his farewell to Salome, “Du bist verflucht” (You are accursed), resonate long after the curtain falls.