Richard Strauss,  Elektra: Soloists, Athens State Orchestra – conductor Johan Arnell  Athens Concert Hall, 10.3. 2007  (BM)

Nadine Secunde: Elektra
Inga Nielsen: Chrysothemis
Agnes Baltsa: Clytaemnestra
Harry Peters: Orest

Michael Hampe - Direction and Set
Martin Rupprecht - Sets and Costumes

 

Inga Nielsen - Chrysothemis

Visibly overflowing with enthusiasm at the thought of staging a work inspired by Sophocles in the Hellenic capital, seasoned German director Michael Hampe declared at a press conference shortly before opening night: “You can’t show off in Greece!” Alas, that is not at all true…and when putting on operas, the Athens Concert Hall has made a habit of advertising “stellar casts”, often consisting of singers who are no longer considered to be at their very best elsewhere in Europe. But then, Athens audiences include no small number of show-offs as well, and this time I’m sure many of those who turned up for the premiere on a warm March evening decked out in fur and Ferragamo shoes wished they had gone elsewhere, as Strauss’ Elektra is certainly not the lightest of opera fare, and doesn’t even include an interval during which one might attempt to escape.

Agnes Baltsa - Clytaemnestra

Hampe was also created the sets - a crater, blue on the outside and red on the inside – together with Martin Rupprecht, who also designed the costumes. Why some members of the palace entourage were made to look like terrorists is beyond me, but the rest of the outfits were quite timeless and striking, with the unfortunate exception of Elektra’s. She looked like a witch, and though this is neither the first nor the last time that this character will appear in weeds, it was a particular disappointment on this occasion because the production purportedly sought to “humanize the legend, portraying Elektra as a traumatized child rather than a monster”.

Nadine Secunde (Elektra) Inga Nielsen (Chrysothemis)

Fortunately, the singing was a bit more memorable, though diction was lacking across the board and Harry Peters as Orest was the only member of the cast who actually succeeded in getting Hofmannsthal’s words across to the audience. American soprano Nadine Secunde in the title role had several shining moments, while Inga Nielsen as Chrysothemis, still a formidable singing actress, sailed smoothly. Investing in a ticket to this performance was money well spent for those interested in seeing Agnes Baltsa in her debut as Clytaemnestra – no mean feat at this mature point in her career. If anyone managed to bring out the sensitive soul inside the beast, it was her; her mezzo is still imposing, by and large, albeit with a wooden touch to it only every now and then. And above all, this is a role that suits her perfectly - and for which she has already been booked in Vienna and elsewhere in the near future. The Athens State Orchestra did an astonishingly admirable job thanks to the deft baton of Johan Arnell, rising to the occasion of interpreting this fiercely complicated and psychologically fraught score.

 

 

 

Bettina Mara 

Pictures © Stefanos 2007

A German language version of this review appears in Orpheus International: http://www.orpheusoper.de