Elektra: ROH

[Barbirollians]

Has Nina Stemme dropped out of the whole run ? anyone know ?

[Howdenite]

Stemme is listed in the cast sheet as singing tonight (no guarantee...)

[Simon B]

She was very much back this evening, in no uncertain terms. Only by hearing her tonight was it clear just how below power (literally) she was on the first night.

I don't think I'm imagining that the orchestra absolutely tore into the plentiful big moments tonight in a way they didn't, and indeed couldn't reasonably have, at the other two I've been at.

A relief to hear normal service resume.

[Belgrove]

To be broadcast on 10th February. The recording evidently made when Stundyte was performing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001w1rc

[Belgrove]

I attended the last performance in the run and would agree with most of the previously posted comments. Nina Stemme was performing, and at full throttle, no signs of wear, tear or lack of stamina and heft to overcome the enormous orchestra. A word of praise for Charles Workman as Ägisth, who managed to instil some sense of dignity and danger into Strauss’ underwritten, mincing musical portrayal. The production takes no liberties or distortions in presenting the text, and like any Greek tragedy, the violence occurs off-stage (Klytämnestra’s shriek was a corker!). It seemed entirely appropriate that the setting was contemporaneous with the work’s composition. I’ve never attended any stage work in order to see or hear a particular performer, it’s the work itself that is important, so it’s the orchestra that will always be of principal interest in this piece, and so it proved to be. Pappano extracted much filigree delicacy from the score, it’s creepy orchestrations (the jewell drops of celesta, harp and plucked strings that depict Klytämnestra’s nightmare preventing talismans, …), and the full assault of brass and percussion - its great to experience the orchestra being put through its paces, it is such a responsive and glorious sounding ensemble. On this showing it’s a shame that Pappano has not done more Strauss in his time at Covent Garden. Hopefully he can be tempted back as guest to conduct Die Frau Ohne Schatten (for which there is a brilliant production from a decade ago) - that could be quite something.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Been listening , in between cooking , to this magnificent performance on Radio 3 FM . Pretty sure it’s the performance I attended - the second, The sopranos much more forward in the balance than they were in reality - and I was in the fifth row of the stalls - extreme left . They sound “screechier “ for want of a better word - in my view showing once again that microphones in a live performance no matter how expensive don’t always reflect vocal quality. The orchestra sound absolutely incredible - a sensational performance as it was on the night.

[Nick Armstrong]

in my view showing once again that microphones in a live performance no matter how expensive don’t always reflect vocal quality.

It's been my view for a while, too

[Ein Heldenleben]

It's been my view for a while, too

Part of the problem is that in a live opera , unlike a studio recording , the mics are a lot further from the singers. In studio recordings are also often ultra high quality - Neumanns and the like . It was really stark to me having been to both a rehearsal and performance. The singers sounded much better in the room as it were.

[Pulcinella]

It's been my view for a while, too

And would explain why I was less than totally involved in yesterday's transmission; I felt pleased that I hadn't spent money going to it, but it does seem that the live experience was quite different.
Not sure I would have liked the production though.

[Barbirollians]

I didn’t hear this last night but one of the things that struck me on the night was how unscreechy the sopranos were in such tough music . I thought the production was very clever so much horror hidden behind such a civilised facade.

[Prommer]

Have a listen to this - Elektra at the ROH, but from 1977. A pair of decent sounding in-house recordings have finally emerged - after nearly half a century! - from the run Carlos Kleiber conducted in May of that year.

Birgit Nilsson as Elektra, Gwyneth Jones as Chrysothemis.

The opening night here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-293tBUBog&t=9s

And a performance from a week or so later here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFf83Gcz3Yw

See what you think! Would love to hear views...