The Opera Tattler

* Notes *

An impressive revival of Elektra (pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) opened at San Francisco Opera on Sunday afternoon. The orchestra sounded lush but clear under the baton of Maestra Eun Sun Kim and the singing was stellar.

The opera is situated in a museum of Ancient Greek artifacts juxtaposed with different scenes portraying Americana, a mid-century kitchen and an eighties teenage girl’s bedroom are popped into the mix.

The enormous orchestra had a veritable army of clarinets, oboes, and brass instruments of all sorts. There were two timpanists and it was so much fun to sit in Box Z and watch all the players at work. The soli from the oboe and clarinet were particularly gorgeous. I also very much loved the sound of the cello players here.

There were no weak links in the cast. Tenor William Burden used his bright, plaintive voice to be a pathetic and whiny Aegisth. Soprano Michaela Schuster (Klytemnestra) was absolutely terrifying. Bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen is sympathetic as Orest, singing with clarity and elegance.

Soprano Elena Pankratova sang the title role with brilliance and depth. Her powerful voice is very much well-supported and is both bright but full. I was most impressed with soprano Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis. Her voice has truly come into its own since her days as an Adler some twenty years ago. The bloom of her sound has a wonderful lucidity.

* Tattling *

A phone rang twice during the Orest’s entrance.