简介：helastproductionstagedbyPatriceChéreau,thisElektrawillremainasthemainandmoststrikinglyricaleventoftheselastyearsinAixen-Provence. In1903,RichardStraussattendedaperformanceofElektra,aplaybytheViennesepoetHugovonHofmannsthalbasedonthetragedybySophocles.Threeyearslater,StrausscametoanunderstandingwithHofmannsthalonalyricadaptationoftheplay.Eventhoughtepidlyreceivedatitspremiereon25January1909inDresden,Elektraquicklywonoveraudiencesandtodayoccupiesanenviableplaceintherepertoireofoperahousestheworldover.Withitsclear-cutcontrastsandtelluricpower,itisoneofthemostscathingmasterpiecesofthewholelyricrepertoire. ElektracomesinthewakeofSalomewiththesamedimensions(asingleactlastingapproximatelyanhourandthree-quarters),astorytakingplaceinancienttimes,extremefeelings,anddevastatingviolence.Frenziedunityofplace,timeandaction,withthedramaunfoldinginthecourtyardofthepalaceinMycenae,inrealtime.IttellshowElektra,daughterofKingAgamemnon,keepsalivethememoryofherfather,murdereduponhisreturnfromTroybyhiswife,Clytemnestra,andherlover,anddwellsonlyonvengeance.Andhowthisvengeancefinallycomesabout. Thisproductionisledbythreeamazingsingers:theGermansopranoEvelynHerlitziusgaveatremendous,never-to-be-forgottenaccountofthetitlerole,WaltraudMeierportraysahumanandchillingClytemnestraandAdriannePieczonkaisafantasticChrysothemis. Everyone’slonelinessandintimatestrugglesarePatriceChéreau’sfavoritetheatricalthemes.WithEsa-PekkaSalonenconductingtheOrchestredeParis,thisproductionofElektrabecomesanunforgettableexperience.…