Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier (1911) is a beloved opera set in an idealized 18th-century Vienna, where a worldly woman must give up her young lover. Hofmannsthal’s libretto blends comedy, drama, and philosophy, while Strauss’s lush score combines waltzes, romance, and complex, demanding passages. The Met’s current production updates the setting to 1911, preserving its timeless charm and musical richness.