Description:

Lorin Maazel leads a distinguished mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars in this unusual yet compelling performance of Elektra. Ursula Schröder-Feinen commands the title role with a striking blend of vocal power and tonal beauty. She not only delivers the role’s brutal climaxes with authority but also crafts seamless legato lines—particularly moving in the recognition scene.

As Klytämnestra, Astrid Varnay may no longer possess the vocal force she once did, but her dramatic instincts remain as riveting as ever, turning each phrase into a moment of psychological insight. Catarina Ligendza offers a vibrant, youthful Chrysothemis, her bright tone and expressive phrasing making for a stirring contrast. José Van Dam brings elegance and gravitas to Orest, while Helge Brilioth is unusually dashing and vocally firm as Aegisth.

Maazel’s conducting is thoughtful—at times veering toward the academic—but he draws richly layered sonorities from the orchestra, especially in the romantic undercurrents of the score. The sound is fair to good, though light static begins about 45 minutes in and continues for the remainder of the opera.

In Stereo

OD 11372-2