Strauss's setting of a German translation of Oscar Wilde's play is original and erotically explicit. It caused a sensation in its day and even now stimulates controversy. Sinopoli's recording is a magnificent achievement, mainly because of Cheryl Studer's representation of the spoilt Princess who demands and eventually gets the head of Jokanaan (John the Baptist) on a platter as a reward for her striptease ('Dance of the Seven Veils'). Studer, her voice fresh, vibrant and sensuous, conveys exactly Salome's growing fascination, infatuation and eventual obsession with Jokanaan, which ends in the arresting necrophilia of the final scene. She expresses Salome's wheedling, spoilt nature, strong will and ecstasy in tones that are apt for every aspect of the strenuous role.
She's supported to the hilt by Sinopoli's incandescent conducting and by Bryn Terfel's convincing Jokanaan, unflaggingly delivered, by Hiestermann's neurotic Herod, who makes a suitably fevered, unhinged sound as the nearcrazed Herod, and Rysanek's wilful Herodias.
The playing is excellent and the recording has breadth and warmth. This is eminently recommendable.
For a newcomer to the work, Studer's superb portrayal may just tip the balance in favour of Sinopoli, though Solti's famous version is in a class of its own, with a gloriously sung Salome and the ravishingly beautiful playing of the Vienna Phil.

The glory of Sinopoli's DG version is the singing of Cheryl Studer as Salome, producing glorious sounds throughout...Sinopoli's reading is often unconventional in its speeds, but it is always positive, thrusting and full of passion...Terfel makes a compelling recording debut