Elektra

"Elektra" premiered in 1909 in Dresden and was the first collaboration between Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal - many more would follow. It is the most modern of all his operas. Based on the (heavily revised) play by Sophocles, Hofmannsthal's version focuses on Elektra's inner thoughts and feelings as she engages in individual conversations with other members of her family. Strauss' score is harmonically exceptionally bold and contains the famous Elektra chord (a simultaneous combination of E major and C-sharp major). The orchestration is extraordinarily extensive, even by Strauss' standards, and includes eight horns, six trumpets, double timpani and two harps. The performance is live recorded in Bergen in December 2023, conducted by Edward Gardner and with a cast led by the great Swedish dramatic soprano Iréne Theorin, one of the finest Elektras of our time.