It is said that the
best theatre depends on a plot based
on sex or violence. So it is in opera
with perhaps a more frequent diversion
into humour ... albeit with a caustic
tongue as found in Figaro and Falstaff.
With Elektra opera reaches a nadir of
violence in the plot and Strauss’s apotheosis
of musical modernism. There is an undercurrent
of sex in that Klytämnestra has
killed her husband Agamemnon so as to
consort with her lover. In the classical
story by Sophocles, Agamemnon hadn’t
been particularly virtuous either. He
paraded his own infidelity with Cassandra
in his wife’s face and slaughtered their
daughter to appease the deities he had
offended. In his libretto for Elektra
Hofmannsthal ignores any idea of mitigation
of Klytämnestra’s actions and paints
her as a harridan intent on demeaning
Elektra and killing her brother Orestes.
Meanwhile Elektra, reduced to a wretched
condition, plots to kill her mother
and when Orestes returns he does so.
Elektra dies avenged if mentally deranged.
As Richard Caniell
notes in the usual detailed Guild booklet,
the opera was termed by one critic as
‘two hours spent in hell’. Not quite
two hours but nearly hell. The strident
orchestral dissonances come as near
to atonality and modernism as any of
the composer’s other works including
Salome of four years earlier. As my
review of Reiner’s conducting of
Salome (Guild 2230-31) indicates the
conductor’s grasp of this idiom is apparent.
Guild seems enamoured of the idiom and
this opera. This Elektra issue follows
that of a performance of the work conducted
by Dimitri Mitropoulos on Christmas
Day, of all days, 1949. (review).
That performance also featured Astrid
Varnay in the title role. My own introduction
to the work came with John Culshaw’s
production for Decca with Birgit Nilsson
as a vocally secure and fearsome Elektra.
It is not by error or perversity that
that I put Culshaw’s name before that
of Solti. It was the encompassing of
the violence in the music in a Sonic
Stage production that made the effect
totally overwhelming. Whilst allowing
for its earlier mono recording compared
to the Decca, this issue falls well
short in comparison. Perhaps more importantly
Reiner does not manage the impact achieved
by Mitropoulos on the earlier Guild
recording. As I noted in my review of
that recording Astrid Varnay was to
the hoch dramatisch fach what
Callas was to the bel canto.
Her characterisation and involvement
are superb but the listener has to accept
that the odd curdled note goes with
the territory. That being said Varnay
is acceptably steady here. Whilst lacking
the steely security of Nilsson’s attack
the extra colours in Varnay’s voice
are welcome, particularly in the recognition
scene when Orestes returns (CD 2 tr.
4). As Orestes Paul Schöffler characterises
well with resonant tone. The Klytämnestra
of Elisabeth Höngen does not impress
me whilst Walburga Wegner as Chrysothemis
just about passes muster.
Richard Caniell lists
eleven operas conducted by Reiner during
his four seasons at the Met before his
departure to take over the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra. I am sorry that one of these
other works was not chosen by Guild
to illustrate the conductor’s fine grasp
of an operatic score outside this genre.
As it is this Elektra shows us nothing
of his qualities not illustrated by
the earlier Salome. Further, as I have
indicated, Mitropoulos does Elektra
better. I do not know the singing cast
but I would have preferred to hear Reiner’s
Falstaff say. This is particularly so
as the appendix here of excerpts from
acts one and three of Der Rosenkavalier
exhibit a welcome and contrasting lightness
of touch from the conductor in this
more lyrical music. Caniell is frank
about the sound limitations of these
tracks (CD 2 trs. 14-20). They are nonetheless
welcome for Varnay’s warm Marschallin
and Risë Stevens vibrantly ardent
Octavian. Despite the sonic limitations
these tracks are a compensation for
the minutes of hell that is Elektra
and are impressive for Reiner’s pacing
of the lovely poignant and lyrical Act
1 scene. Otherwise this is an issue
most recommendable for Varnay and Reiner
enthusiasts and those who glory in Strauss’
neo-modernist period.
Robert J Farr
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera,
New York/Fritz Reiner