4/5 Terrific Singing!
  by R. Geiler
Absolutely Supurb singing -- especially by the soprano Eva Johansson singing the role of Elektra; it is a tour de force. She makes this production worth buying. Though I have seen productions of practically every other opera by Richard Strauss, this was my first experience with Elektra, and this recording has made it one of my favorites. What a score! Though the production suffers from the typical rejection of anything obvious currently popular in Europe, it still shows the power of the work, which transcends even the tritest mements onstage. And the soprano is perfect for the role.

2/5 Eurotrash Elektra
  by Michael Souza (San Francisco, CA)
There is no lack of ideas here. The problem is that none of the ideas have anything to do with making Elektra more accessible or with clarifying the libretto, which is not needed in any case. The stage is littered with what looks like mounds of old grey rugs strewn about. There are many doors, maybe about three feet apart, through which a lot of people come and go. During Elektra's monologue, someone opens one of the doors, wipes the handle, and exits. No idea why. There is a lot of movement; people cavorting naked or half-naked (I guess this shows depravity and decadence). Everyone is costumed unbecomingly. Eva Johansson wears some old gym clothes and her singing is nothing to write home about. She can sing loudly and she can sing softly, but she is no Elektra. Her face does not convey the emotions that the close-ups are clearly looking for. The rest of the cast sings well enough without being outstanding. Von Dohnanyi's conducting is the best thing here. Buy the Rysanek/Bohm version - this one doesn't cut it.

4/5 A New Twist on Elektra
  by David D. Dollinger (Pasadena, CA)
My first exposure to Elektra was in 1953 with the San Francisco Opera Company; I was lucky enough to see it both in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The cast was truly legendary: Inge Borhk, Margarete Klose, Ludwig Suthaus and Paul Schoeffler. Also making his debut was Solti. I believe Ellen Faull (sp?) was Chrysothemis. I can't say that I knew the opera since it was hardly common currency. And although I was very young I certainly responded to the singing (notably Borkh and Klose) as well as the acting. Borkh had orginally trained as a stage actress and it showed; Klose simply poured out molten tones of liquid gold and was a commanding presence.

Since we don't have singers of this quality around today we can hardly duplicate that level of singing. This new DVD is worth investigating for variety of reasons although the level of singing wouldn't be one of them. My first exposure to Eva Johansson was as Eva in the Deutschoper production of Meistersinger. She was quite charming and vocally up to the rigors of this opera, but I didn't I could hear an Elektra in her. Well, she certainly delivers dramatically and, I suppose, could best be described as a "kunst" diva. Fortunately during the recognition scene she sings quite beautifully; would that her Orest (Alfred Muff) could match her. He is adequate, no more. The Clytemnestra is Marjana Lipovshek; dramatically she is exciting and her monologue is riveting, but the voice is threadbard and worn. Considering that she has spent the last twenty years singing very heavy roles it is hardly surprising. But there is no question that she is thoroughly inside the role. The Chrysotemis is Melanie Diener; quite the most meliflous voice in the cast, but a compelling actress as well.

The only truly outre touch that struck me a utterly bizarre was at the end when a group of what looks like Follies Bergere dancers make a brief appearance. I have no idea what the point being made is, and it certainly is not a deal breaker as regards making a decision whether to buy it or not but it is strange.

The DVD competition for this opera is small: Marton at Vienna State Opera in a Kupfer production that conservative Vienna boos. I like Kupfer's work at Bayreuth but this must is not on the level as his Ring. By the time that Nilsson recorded it (DVD, that is) she is not flattered by the camera and her laser-like voice is frequently off pitch. Viewed as a historical document it is worth having since it also includes Rysanek. The Rysanek is a film and I must confess I found little to enjoy. I understand the last Met outing with Beherns (1994) is in the pipeline. Although Behrens (like Johanssen is a voice or two too small she was very exciting; the DVD will also include Fassbender's Clytemnestra and Voigt's Chrysotemis (pre weight loss--a pity that we couldn't have had Mattila); the production is traditional but a good one. Do I have to make a choice? Well, I've made one, obviously, but I will get the Behrens when it becomes available. One can never have too much Strauss--Richard, that is.

2/5 mediocre production
  by Gloriana (Greece)
Modern aspect of Strauss' Elektra though not of high quality. The director's aspect was totally uncaused and unreasonable, pitty for the singers and the conductor.
Johansson is the best VOCALLY Elektra I have ever 'seen' on stage. HOWEVER her acting has nothing to do with Elektra of Eva Marton (the best Elektra ever for me) Gwyneth Jones, Birgit Nilsson, L. Rysanek. I feel she had NO HELP at all from the stage director.
The whole production, GENERALLY, lucks of inspiration and good acting.

4/5 Provocative, unique staging, and committed portrayals
  by Niel Rishoi (Ann Arbor, MI USA)
TDK has released a new DVD of an Elektra captured in Zurich
from December 2005. It is a total success.

This opera is one in which a design team can revel. They
can go to the absolute max here in matching Strauss's
tortured music. To my mind, the opera can be made
contemporary to any degree, and ideas to convey its
darkness can be endless. Leonie Rysanek
once stated she did not care for a traditional Classical
Greek setting for the piece, and I agree.

The setting looks to be a combination brothel and insane
asylum, sinister, austere and menacingly closed-in. The
floor has no even footing; it is all precariously un-level,
bumpy and dangerous.

The theme of this production is sex, debauchery and
depravity in its most shockingly unleashed fashion, and
it's exhilarating; no holds barred here, all sacred taboos
are turned loose - to devastating effect. Definitely rated
NC-17. The director, Martin Kusej, does a smashing job of
utilizing the busy production and conversely, playing up
the interpersonal confrontations in a very intimate way. Unlike the other reviewers here, I enjoyed this fresh, original interpretation; it would be easy (but unfair) to label this as Eurotrash. The opera is about trashed values, and its controversial view suits this staging well.

Aiding him in this is the superb cast, and Christoph von
Dohnanyi, the conductor: he brings staggering texture,
drama and tension to the score. The audio is unprecedented
in its clarity, as is the picture. In DVD, opera has found
its perfect "synthetic" medium.

Eva Johannson, a Danish soprano new to me, pulls out all
the stops dramatically and vocally. Looking like a cross
between a young Eva Marton and Karita Mattila, she gives a
searing portrayal. Her energy is positively demonic, a
woman possessed. Dressed in bag-lady-rehab sweat-street
clothes, this Elektra is a visual and audio powerhouse. The
voice is lean, has edge, and is huge. I would not call it
classically beautiful, but Elektra simply cannot be sung by
Janowitz-type voices. This baby's gotta have balls.
Johansson does, in spades. There is at the outset a little
trouble with the mittelage, but grows in strength by
leagues as the evening goes on; the "was bluten muss" is
shattering, and it pleasantly stings the ear. The high C is
nailed like few others have done. The tone cuts, is steady,
and she sings with tireless, unstinting abandon. What a joy
it is to hear such an absence of strain, no wobble, no
screeching. Johansson is particularly good at the baleful
expression, whose looks can really zing those darts, but
the "Orest!" is shimmeringly lyrical and reposed. Johansson
carries on the illustrious Varnay-Nilsson-Jones lineage
magnificently. Anyone who can command this role without
self-combusting earns my highest respect; after Jones
retired, it seemed unlikely that this generation could
produce such a worthy successor, but Johansson may well be
the Elektra of this time.

Melanie Diener's shining Chrysothemis matches Johansson all
the way, singing with refulgent, unforced tone. Marjana
Lipovsek's Klytamnestra, a puffy, over-made-up near-drag
queen is worthy of the best of them.

The ending is a surprise, not the usual, and it works; I'll
leave it for you to find out, or I can spoil it for you
privately. Let's just say Elektra proves to be stronger
stuff than you might expect (and if she can stand what
she's had to face in the past...that which does not kill
you only makes you stronger).

The rest of the parts are up to the high level elsewhere.
No need to elaborate further, as this triumphant production
does Strauss-Hoffmansthal proud.

Best of all, this release renews for me the genius of this
evocative, colorful score - the language of music doing
what spoken word could not possibly match.

If you love Elektra, and need an extra dose of depravity to
match a mood you may be in, this will do the job
beautifully. You won't find a better depiction of
"tormented souls."