Search - Richard [1] Strauss, Giuseppe Verdi, Anton Guadagno :: Strauss: Elektra

Borkh, fabulous Elektra! and unknown recording!

Ha-De Nguyen | Paris, France (Europe) | 07/26/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"At last something really new! Not in terms of Inge Borkh singing Elektra, this is the fifth recording available on the market! But as far as I know that one was not available before even on LPs. This set is really worth having as the event was recorded live, in a small opera house that is well adapted to the masterpiece and Borkh was there as Elektra! These CDs are however not perfect : although in stereo, the sound is a true AAD (with a lot of tape noises behind). All the cast is rather anonymous (except Resnik) and that was a standard performance at the New Orleans (nothing to do with Salzburg's or Munich's festival event!). But certainly this is why this recording gives you and relates you the true story of Elektra! Schue like others is perfectly in place and IS Chrysothemis without the stardom of a Lisa della Casa or Rysanek, that can be said also from the rest of the cast. Resnik is keen and really intelligent in the part without extras and useless accents. Borkh in 1967 does not sound as young as in previous recordings but by the time she felt it so well that she simply was Elektra! If you need some milestones of her interpretation of the role, here are some : - 1953, Melodram with Schröder : she was in her prime, very fresh but not completely involved. Rest of the cast could not be bad but is not as exciting as it should. - 1958, Orfeo with Mitropoulos : famous recording from Salzburg but the voices are placed too far. Borkh does not sound well, Madeira unnatural. Della Casa is exciting vocally but she's too cool while Böhme is too old as Orest. - 1960, DG with Böhm : probably the best of all recordings of that opera. Direction is perfect, recording is great, Fischer-Dieskau cannot be replaced as Orest, Madeira, calm is much better in the role and even Schech is probably the best Chrysothemis ever recorded although much underrated. Borkh is perfect! - 1967 : here-above reviewed. - 1971 : at the Fenice, sound is the worst although Borkh gets a new dimension into the role. Resnik is good but rest of the cast is not interesting."