Time: About 30 A.D.

Place: The palace of Herod at Tiberias, Galilee



There will be no intermission.



A party is in progress in the palace of Herod, Tetrarch of Judea, and his wife, Herodias. Keeping watch is Narraboth, captain of Herod’s guards, who notices that Herod’s stepdaughter Salome looks very beautiful this particular evening. Herodias’s page stares at the moon, which seems to him like a woman rising from a tomb. From the cistern a voice is heard, predicting the coming of one who will make the blind see and the deaf hear again. When a Cappadocian wonders who is making such pronouncements, two soldiers inform him that it is the voice of Jochanaan (John the Baptist). Herod has ordered that the prophet be kept isolated from everyone in the palace.

Salome rushes out from the party. She longs to escape the Tetrarch, whose attentions she finds both surprising – since she is his stepdaughter – and unpleasant. Increasingly fascinated by Jochanaan’s voice, she questions the soldiers about him and learns that he is a young man from Palestine. She cajoles the susceptible Narraboth into bringing Jochanaan up from underground where he is imprisoned. The page anticipates disaster if this occurs, but Narraboth willingly gives the order.

When Jochanna emerges, his first words are to denounce Herod and Herodias. Salome feels instantly entranced by Jochanaan, but when she identifies herself as the daughter of Herodias, the prophet rejects her. As Narraboth observes her in horror, Salome describes Jochanaan’s body rapturously. He declares that it was woman who brought evil into the world, at which Salome immediately changes her mind: his body is ugly – it is his hair that she finds glorious. Jochannan warns her not to touch him. Now Salome rejects the prophet’s hair, preferring to praise the beauty of his mouth. Unable to listen any longer, Narraboth stabs himself and falls dead at Salome’s feet. The princess, oblivious to everything but her desire for Jochannan, demands a kiss from him, but he curses her and descends into the cistern.

Appearing with his retinue, Herod notices the strange look of the moon. Suddenly he slips in Narraboth’s blood. Remembering that he had once seen the young man gazing longingly at Salome, he orders that the body be removed. Now Herod feels cold and seems to hear the beating of huge wings. Herodias declares that he is ill and suggests they return to the party. Although Herodias objects to the way her husband looks at her daughter, Herod invites Salome to take some refreshment with him. She refuses, being neither hungry nor thirsty.

Jochanaan’s voice in the prison arouses the fury of Herodias, who believes the prophet is insulting her. She berates her husband for being intimidated by Jochanaan. Herod denies the charge, inadvertently setting off a debate among a group of Jews as to who was the last prophet to see God. Two Nazarenes join in, proclaiming the arrival of a Messiah who has wrought miracles, including the raising of the dead. Herod is shaken by the possibility, and his terror increases as he hears Jochanaan predict an imminent Day of Wrath.

Craving some relief, Herod begs Salome to dance for him, promising to grant any request. Despite her mother’s objections, Salome agrees. As Herod waits, he senses the wings of death beating. Again he feels cold and unable to breathe. He recovers just as Salome begins her dance. When she has finished and is asked by Herod to name her reward, she asks for the head of Jochanaan on a silver plate – a choice Herodias heartily approves. Aghast, Herod offers her an emerald, white peacocks, other priceless jewels, even – to the Jews’ horror – the veil hanging in the holy sanctuary. Salome repeatedly asks for Jochanaan’s head until, exhausted, Herod orders that her wish be granted. The Tetrarch mutters disgustedly that the girl is indeed her mother’s child.

Salome is desperate to know that the execution of Jochanaan has taken place. The silence worries her, and she wonders if the executioner will have the strength to do the deed. She has just ordered Herod to send his soldiers down into the cistern when suddenly Jochanaan’s head is brought up from below. Salome cries to the prophet that, although he refused to let her kiss his mouth, she will kiss it now. It surprises her that his eyes, once so raging, have now closed. Remembering that he has once chastised her, she declares triumphantly that she is still alive and his head belongs to her. Having recalled the beauty of his body, she scolds him for never having looked at her.

Herod, who has watched Salome with growing revulsion, tells his wife that her daughter is a monster. He wishes to go inside, but Herodias is fascinated and prefers to continue observing Salome. As the moon disappears, Herod orders the torches extinguished, fearing that something terrible is about to occur. Salome’s voice is heard, exulting to Jochanaan that she has finally kissed his mouth. As moonlight falls on Salome, Herod suddenly orders his guards to kill her.