January 29, 2010: Elektra in Zurich

2010-01-29 Elektra (R.Strauss), Opernhaus Zurich

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Eva Johansson
Chrysothemis = Emily Magee
Aegisth = Rudolf Schasching
Orest = Martin Gantner
Pfleger des Orest = Davide Fersini
Vertraute = Camille Butcher
Schleppträgerin = Stefanie C. Braun
junger Diener = Peter Sonn
alter Diener = Thomas Tatzl
Aufseherin = Margaret Chalker
1. Magd = Wiebke Lehmkuhl
2. Magd = Sabrina Kögel
3. Magd = Irène Friedli
4. Magd = Liuba Chuchrova
5. Magd = Sen Guo

Daniele Gatti, conductor

I went to Zurich to see ELEKTRA with Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra. This one act opera with 1hr 45 mins music is NOT my favorite opera. But this time it is Daniele Gatti who conducts the orchestra of Opernhaus Zurich and Richard Strauss' music streams out sounding just wonderful. For the first time all the music of Elektra sound like magic. First opera I ever wanted to hear without the singing. This does not mean that the chorus or the soloists were not good.

The production was not too bad but not something that I felt I was missing when my head-ache forced me to close my eyes. Often in closing my eyes I enjoyed the opera more. Eva Johansson was a good but not really in voice before Orest. After Orest came the real Elektra appeared. Emily Magee was a wonderful Chrysathemis, singing and acting was fabulous. But both lacked in German diction. Agnes Baltsa was in great voice and acting Klytämnestra with all her body. To my ears Baltsa's German was close to perfect.

The production put too much on the shocking things (sex....) going on in the house and too little on what happens outside with Elektra. Elektra is really outside the house and closed into her own head. Elektra was yellow (meaning?). Chrysathemis in white (pure virgin). Klytämnestra in red dress (blood, murder) with black cape? (death).

After the opera I congratulated Agnes Baltsa and conductor Daniele Gatti on this wonderful performance of ELEKTRA.

Inszenierung
Martin Kusej

Bühnenbild
Rolf Glittenberg

Kostüme
Heidi Hackl

Lichtgestaltung
Jürgen Hoffmann

Choreinstudierung
Ernst Raffelsberger


Orchester der Oper Zürich



Chor der Oper Zürich

OD Travel + Photos

OD Travel - January: Travel to Zurich and Elektra

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