Opera review: Elektra

Elektra, a flawless cooperative work by Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal, which made its debut in 1909, might be the angriest dramatic opera ever written. Its nonstop intensity—the anguish of the personae and music, both vocal and orchestral, which hits a constant pitch of near hysteria—make one wonder how it would have been sustained if Strauss had not confined it to one act. Superb as it is, and, in this case, marvelously sung, acted and staged, it is possible that our minds and nerves would not have been able to absorb much more.

Based on classical Greek mythology, and in particular on the play Electra by Sophocles, this is a tale to curdle one’s blood. And, judging by the wild enthusiasm of the audience as the final curtain fell, the Liceu succeeded in conveying the intended emotions of the overwrought Elektra, and her mother and sister—who dominate the stage—to the masses by combining stylised frenzy with nascent acknowledgments of Freudian psychology. The current production, a combined effort of six international opera houses, was staged by Patrice Chéreau, who, alas, lived only to see the first performances at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. However, I believe he would have been proud tonight.

Elektra, daughter of Klytämnestra and Agamemnon, is desperate to avenge the murder of her father by his wife and her lover, Aegisth, when he returned from war. In all fairness, Klytämnestra had a modicum of an excuse: her husband had sacrificed their daughter to stir up the wind necessary to sail his flotilla (apparently this was a household trick that seemed to work). But Elektra did not allow this to sway her condemnation of her mother. I must say that at one point the thought flashed through my head that I was grateful to have grown up in a boringly repressed English household, much as I resented it at the time.

The main role must be both exhausting and triumphal, as Elektra is at the brink of hysteria from start to finish. Her mother and sister, Chrysothemis, are hardly more tranquil, but their roles are shorter. Elektra is on stage the whole time, and singing nonetheless.

The opera is dominated by women, as you can clearly tell, and their characters seem much more dramatic and fully-formed than those of the men. Neither Orest, the long-lost brother whose return Elektra craves, sung by Alan Held, nor Aegisth, played by Thomas Randle, really made much of an impression. To some extent that is the fault of the roles themselves, which are not nearly as developed.

Evelyn Herlitzius, on stage and singing in the role of Elektra, was sensational. I had seen the same production at the Met in New York with Nina Stemme, and there is no way I could choose a favourite between the two. Both were vocally heroic and acted with total conviction. Waltraud Meier as Elektra’s tormented mother Klytämnestra, equalled her note for note. She is rightly considered at the top of her class. And as Elektra’s poor sister Chrysothemis, who only wants peace and quiet, and hopes for a happy marriage, Adrianne Pieczonka brought touching pathos to scenes with her role.

A tiny part also deserves mention. The fifth servant woman—the only one to have sympathy for Elektra in her agony—was beautifully played by Roberta Alexander, a leading singer at the Met in her salad days. Her gentle moment of understanding was a brief, yet lovely light of optimism in all the darkness.

The orchestra, led by Josep Pons, was in top form. I would, however, offer a word of advice to newcomers to the Liceu. If you’re going to something with a notable contribution by the brass (think Wagner or Strauss), you might consider getting seats on the left side of the house. If you are in the orchestra on the right, the brass is very dominant and can sometimes drown out the singers. This is hardly their fault; presumably it is a function of the design of the house., but it is a factor to take into consideration when booking a seat for noisier operas.

Meanwhile, thank you Liceu and singers for a magnificent evening. Alas, there is only one performance left on Friday, December 23rd, and you will have to be pretty lucky to get a seat for it. But do try.

Tickets sold here.