Organization

Festival d'Aix en Provence

Singer

Bass

David Wakeham

Orest's tutor

Soprano

Cheryl Studer

The overseer

Conductor

Thomas Guggeis

Ricarda Merbeth

Electra

Mezzo-soprano

Waltraud Meier

Klytaemnestra

Vida Mikneviciute

Chrysothemis

Tenor

Gerhard Siegel

Aegisth

Baritone

René Pape

Orest

The confidante

Natalia Skrycka

The trainbearer

Florian Hoffmann

A young servant

Olaf Bär

An old servant

Contralto

Bonita Hyman

First maid

Second maid

Katharina Kammerloher

Third maid

Anna Samuil

Fourth maid

Roberta Alexander

Fifth maid

Stage director

Patrice Chéreau

Daniel Barenboim

Lighting designer

Dominique Bruguière

Gilles Bottacchi

Costume designer

Caroline de Vivaise

Set designer

Richard Peduzzi

State Opera Berlin

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Finnish National Opera

Teatro alla Scala

The Metropolitan Opera

Orchestra

Staatskapelle Berlin

Others

Staatsopernchor Berlin

Staatsopenchor

German

Elektra -  (Electra)

Berlin

Germany

Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Elektra Strauss,R

Public

Private

English

Approved

Wie ein Rufen aus der Vorzeit, mit betörender Musik und einem Text von archaisch-wilder Kraft, beschwört Richard Strauss’ »Elektra« den Zauber des Schaurig-D...

In the courtyard of the Palace of Mycenae, the servants are wondering whether Elektra will be grieving over her father, as it is her daily mourning ritual in memory of her father. Daughter of the King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, Elektra comes in and locks herself up in her solitude straight away. The servants all criticise and mock her, except for one, who takes her defence.
By herself, Elektra remembers how Agamemnon was assassinated upon his return from Troy, beaten up with an axe by Clytemnestra and her lover Aegistheus. Devastated by her grief, Elektra is obsessed with the revenge she intends to take together with her sister, Chrysothemis, and her brother, Orestes. The latter grew up faraway from the palace ever since he was a child and Elektra is keenly waiting for him day after day.
Chrysothemis interrupts Elektra who is caught up in her thoughts and warns her that Clytemnestra and Aegistheus have decided to lock her up in a tower. Chrysosthemis asks her sister to renounce vengeance and let life take over again. Elektra rejects the idea with disdain.
Clytemnestra arrives with her suite. She is preparing sacrifices hoping to pacify the Gods as she suffers nightmares. She wants to talk to Elektra and when her daughter’s words are more amenable than usual, she sends off her followers to stay with her. The mother asks her daughter what remedy could restore her sleep and Elektra reveals that a sacrifice may indeed free her from her nightmares. But when the Queen full of hope asks whom needs immolating, Elektra replies that it is Clytemnestra herself who needs to die. Elektra goes on to describe with frenzied elation how her mother will succumb under Orestes’ blows. Then the court is trown into a panic: two strangers have arrived and ask to be seen; a few words are whispered to the Queen, who immediately leaves without saying a single word to Elektra.
Chrysosthemis is the one who comes to bear the terrible news: Orestes had died. At first she remains deaf to what has been said, and then, loosing all hope, she concludes that only herself and his sister need to act without further delay. But Chrysosthemis refuses do commit such a deed and flees. Elektra curses her, concluding that she will need to act by herself.
One of the strangers who claims to be a friend of Orestes’ and has come to bear the news of his death has now been staying at the court for a few days. Elektra besieges him with questions. When she reveals her name, he shakes, in shock. She only recognizes him when the servants of the palace throw themselves at his feet. It is Orestes who really stands in front of her, Orestes, who tricked everybody into believing he was dead in order to sneak into the palace. Elektra is both elated and in despair; she feels boundless fondness for her brother and a fathomless sadness because of the recluse life she has chosen for herself. They are interrupted by Orestes’ tutor: the hour of vengeance has come and what Orestes has come back for now needs doing. Orestes enters the palace. Elektra listens out for the slightest noise. Clytemnestra’s scream is heard: “Hit one more time”, Elektra cries out. The Queen then draws her last gasp.
There is a moment of panic when the servants hear cries. But they flee when they are told that Aegistheus is returning from the fields. As the sun is setting, he meets with Elektra, who suddenly in a joyful mood, offers to give him light and walk him back home. Soon enough it is his turn to scream for help. He too succumbs to vengeful hands.
Chrysothemis comes out of the palace and tells her sister about their brother’s return and the double murder of Clytemnestra and Aegistheus. Elektra, hovering between ecstasy and madness, maintains that only silence and dance can celebrate their liberation. Beset by extreme frenzy, she dances until she drops: she will never be the one to have executed the act of revenge. As for Orestes, he leaves the palace, alone and in silence.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Co-Producer