Daphne lives in a world that is foreign to her. She is the embodiment of nature and finds human behaviour and desire alien. Apollo and Leucippus, both of whom desire Daphne, attend the feast of Dionysus. Leucippus puts his plan into action: Daphne abandons herself to the celebrations. Too late, Apollo, under Leucippus’ spell, realises he has acted against his divine destiny and Daphne’s nature.

»Daphne« is one of Richard Strauss’ last operas. The story is based on a tale from ancient mythology and was passed down by Ovid and Plutarch, among others. It has frequently appeared as a theme in art, music and literature. In Richard Strauss’ »Daphne«, symphonic music and lyrical passages in the style of chamber music are combined to create an impressive musical drama. Today, »Daphne« is one of the composer’s rarely performed works. This new staging is directed by Romeo Castellucci, whose works are marked by a powerful visual language in which music, light and visual arts blend.