Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis in Strauss’ “Elektra.” Picture: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
Hell hath no fury like a lady scorned, particularly when she’s a sure girly lady in pink! No, no, I’m not speaking about that ambiguously “good” witch—I’m referring to soprano Elza van der Heever’s Chrysothemis, who, alongside conductor Eun Solar Kim, energized and electrified the San Francisco Opera’s revival of Richard Strauss’s one-act tragedy Elektra, which started final Sunday, elevating it right into a must-see occasion.
Virtually a decade has handed since Keith Warner’s psychologically taut “reinterpretation” first graced the Conflict Memorial Opera Home stage in 2017. In an age when violence appears glorified, the cautionary story of a younger lady stranded in a recent museum and grappling with PTSD stemming from her household’s tragedies felt much more related than at its premiere. The price of violence to these we love permeated each scene, as Anja Kühnhold as soon as once more directed Warner’s imaginative and prescient with eager perception. Is revenge actually one of the best resolution?
Warner’s staging featured the work of Boris Kudlička (units), Kaspar Glamer (costumes), John Bishop (lighting), and Martek Macias (projections). Essentially the most placing function of the manufacturing was how every a part of the museum remodeled right into a scene from the opera, virtually as in the event that they had been fragments of the younger lady’s creativeness. The left show case turned Chrysothemis’ room, the place Aegisth molested her (and met his finish there); the kitchen was on the correct; and the large projection TV served because the gateway to the household drama. A lot thought went into the small print that the manufacturing positively warranted a number of viewings to catch all of the symbolism!
As meticulous because the manufacturing was, the musical side of final Sunday’s present was on one other degree. Based mostly on the power of the three Wagner operas she has performed to date and on this efficiency, I actually imagine Kim’s forte is the Austro-German repertoire, and I, for one, sit up for her main The Ring cycle within the coming years.
Elektra (along with Salome) is usually thought-about Strauss’s most modernistic opera, and plenty of thought he retreated in his later works. Over time, many interpreters have approached the rating both historically (emphasizing the lyrical features) or modernistically (highlighting the rating’s cacophonic nature, particularly within the percussion). Kim approached the rating by embracing each side; the opening maidservants scene sounded thorny and jagged (pity there have been some steadiness points on Sunday between the orchestra and the amplified singers once they sang off-stage), whereas Elektra’s dance close to the top in triple meter splendidly recalled the scrumptious waltzes of Der Rosenkavalier. Keep in mind that with 95 personnel, Elektra has, to today, the biggest pit orchestra SFO has ever employed (for comparability, the 2002 Saint François d’Assise had extra orchestra members, however some had been on stage). Kim confidently took cost of the big pressure, keenly detailing numerous features of the rating whereas vigorously propelling the motion ahead. The scenes beginning with Orest’s arrival, significantly, moved with such breakneck pace, like a practice wreck ready to occur, pulling the viewers breathlessly into the gory and tragic occasions. It was every part Elektra was imagined to be: brutal, loud, breathtaking, and overwhelming!
Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis, Elena Pankratova as Elektra, and Kyle Ketelsen as Orest in Strauss’ “Elektra.” Picture: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
In an interview, The Met’s Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin mentioned that “Elza is the best artist to deliver [Strauss’ works] to life.” With final 12 months’s Salome and this run, van der Heever additional cemented that notion. Not solely did she have a big instrument that simply soared above the orchestra, however she additionally absolutely inhabited the character via her voice and mannerisms, stealing the scene each time she appeared (she was additionally in pink!). Her proclamation “Es ist Orestd, er es getan hat!” merely needed to be skilled for its sheer pleasure and brilliance. Her Chrysothemis was a captivating character examine, a grown lady (who would possibly or may not be a sufferer of sexual abuse) who eschewed a lifetime of violence for home bliss solely to be pulled again in. Van der Heever made it straightforward for the viewers to sympathize together with her.
Van der Heever greater than met her match in Kyle Ketelsen’s Orest. Tall, darkish, and harmful, with a booming voice in addition, Ketelsen made his presence felt regardless of his restricted stage time. He additionally navigated the dense orchestration with ease, projecting a darkish but sonorous sound that matched his performing. After a fairly underwhelming Escarmillo seven years in the past, I felt this was the repertoire he ought to sing extra typically. When you’re on the town this month, make sure to catch his recital with Carrie-Ann Matheson as a part of the Schwabacher collection.
Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Michaela Schuster as Klytemnestra in Strauss’ “Elektra.” Picture: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
Michaela Schuster took her function because the mom from hell, Klytemnestra, critically. The silvery high quality of her voice and her bleak, wide-eyed expressions made her portrayal efficient. Nonetheless, her Klytemnestra was absolutely on the evil, demented aspect, with no redeeming qualities in any way. Little surprise the viewers rejoiced at her demise. William Burden, who made his function debut as Aegisth, took the identical strategy, presenting a totally villainous character. After years of seeing Burden as the nice guys, it was refreshing to see him change it up a bit, and he appeared to revel within the function.
As typical, the comprimario roles had been crammed by present and previous Adler Fellows, who offered an exhilarating expertise with their appreciable contributions. The 5 maidservants (Gabrielle Beteag, Sadie Cheslak, Laura Krumm, Mary Hoskins, and Caroline Corrales) imbued their chatter with fright and dread, and Alexandra Loutsion, together with her large voice, introduced up the gory early as The Overseer. Sofia Gotch and Alexa Frankian labored in tandem as Klytemnestra’s confidante and trainbearer, giving the entire continuing an aura of ambiguity and ghostly evil (they had been, in any case, those who betrayed Klytemnestra!). As Orest’s tutor, Jongwon Han had the toughest job, singing behind a thick gold Agamemnon masks, a lot in order that he needed to be amplified!
A scene from Strauss’ “Elektra” with Sadie Cheslak, Laura Krumm, Mary Hoskins, Caroline Corrales, and Gabrielle Beteag because the Maidservants and Alexandra Loutsion (far proper) because the Overseer. Picture: Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera
That left us with Elena Pankratova, who made her home debut within the punishing title function. I used to be excited to see her efficiency, particularly figuring out this was her seventeenth manufacturing within the function. Sadly, on Sunday, she was fairly underwhelming, particularly from the place I sat. She sang earnestly, and the excessive notes got here blazing. The scene with Orest was tender and heartbreaking. Nonetheless, her mid- and low-range notes sounded weak, and he or she was typically drowned out by the orchestra. I hope it was only a case of her being underneath the climate or first-show jitters! It was attention-grabbing to notice that she acquired a standing ovation from the individuals surrounding the stage, however barely anybody round me stood up!
Regardless of its shortcomings, Elektra was an awesome expertise on the Opera, a well-thought-out manufacturing with an excellent forged. On the best way, I imagined all of the eventualities during which I needed to see van der Heever and Kim collectively once more in a Strauss opera. Dare I recommend Salome subsequent, with Ketelsen as Jochanaan? Nonetheless, ensure to not miss Kim’s subsequent fall Strauss live performance, which can embody the tone poem Until Eulenspiegel‘s Merry Pranks, a collection from Der Rosenkavalier, and Brentano Lieder with Adela Zaharia!
Michael Anthonio
Michael Anthonio’s amorous affairs with classical music and opera began in main college, when his mother and father purchased him an organ and he started taking classes. Throughout highschool and school, he gave personal organ classes to a few of his mother and father’ buddies’ children (for pocket cash) and he was church organist and later, choir conductor. In 1999 he moved to Singapore the place he acquired concerned with the classical music on-line web site “flying inkpot.” His curiosity in opera turned an obsession when he was transferred for work to US in 2008. Along with having fun with world-class opera in SF, he indulges in opera excursions in Europe. His favourite opera composer is Handel; at this level, Michael seen 24 of his operas , with hopefully three extra coming subsequent 12 months.
