Sofia Opera and Ballet | “ELEKTRA” – THE NEW PEARL OF THE SOFIA OPERA

08 Dec 2020BNR "Casta Diva"

“ELEKTRA” – THE NEW PEARL OF THE SOFIA OPERA

Review by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petar Plamenov about the premiere of “Elektra” by Richard Strauss, broadcasted in the “Casta Diva” programme of Programme Horizont on the Bulgarian National Radio.

Almost 110 years after the composition of “Elektra” we have an opportunity to watch it on Sofia stage too.

Stage director is the Director of the Opera Plamen Kartaloff, who has already imposed his policy as an opera enlightener, for which we really have to render him his due. And honour, in this difficult time he doesn’t hesitate to stake on high aesthetics, on rare titles and develop the theatre and its performers. And to allow himself the luxury not to step in territories, which are not worth it, because of the financial security. And to keep the high style, the high taste, such as “Elektra” requires. Namely some ten years ago, in the beginning of his second return of long standing as Director of the Opera, he started with the remarkable production of “Salome”, where flashed the enormous talent of Tsvetana Bandalovska. And now he continues with the other experimentational opera by Strauss – “Elektra”. Both titles are emblematic for the music modernism, emblematic for the way in which the human being from the new age of the world, from the new age, in which the metaphysical concept is somehow dethroned, experiences himself or herself. It is not only the state of being abandoned by the divine sanction, but also the personality disintegration is to be felt.

Strauss, together with his librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal, managed to transform the ancient myth, after which were writing Sophocles, as well as Euripides, and retell it in an entirely new way, which to respond to modern hopelessness of the person, who is educated with the irrational aspect and actually understands that his mind is a plaything, which cannot justify the instinct, which in a moment prevails over the personality and turns it into a pledge of its cleared by nothing games. Namely this is “Elektra”. And it seems to me that Plamen Kartaloff as producer has rendered an account of this. His staging is exceptionally minimalistic, stylish and in the same time psychologically reliable. The stage tale, which he manages to achieve, is so impressive, not because he is looking for spectacularness, but because he manages to dig himself into this complicated psychology, which the music presupposes, and which gives the right to the sound feast, without the visual image to deprive it somehow with its dissipation. For that have helped him, of course, Sven Jonke’s exceptional set design. On the stage we actually see, and this should be Agamemnon’s castle in Mycenae, which is captured by the lover Aegisth and the unfaithful wife Klytaemnestra. Actually, this is a contemporary image of some odd intertwisted skyscraper. The lighting is grey-bluish, senseless, as if we find ourselves in some mortuary or in a place, where a trial will be accomplished. There is some feeling of claustrophobia, which is emphasized on purpose in the obscure stage space. The windows are large, but they oppress somehow – as if there is no air. And besides, they are transparent in the stage space. For example, the maids are present all the time and are solved as predators, who enjoy the spectacle, the tragedy of Elektra herself. They observe, they interpret the action and simultaneously they are leading it. On the other hand, these windows are mirrors of a missing sky, of an emptiness. Everything is seized by a peculiar state – solitude and desolation, and the background is entirely black, it even creates the sensation that this is not merely the black earth, but as if just dug out tomb.

In the set design solution very impactful is the finale, where, all of a sudden, these windows start disintegrating and the world turns into a rag, worn by time, which cannot continue carrying the weight of being.

The choreography is quite interesting. It is made by Fredy Franzutti, who is as if contributing to the common suggestion, which Plamen Kartaloff wants to induce, and namely the figures not to be close to the human ones, but on the contrary, to go back to the animal aspect. Elektra herself is interpreted as a pantheress of prey, which cannot withstand in her own flesh. She is at times a bird of prey, at times a predatory cat, which is waiting whom to stifle. In return, Klytaemnestra is some regal, slow and imposing mother-beast, who is so fierce that she chases away her cubes, who are irritating her and she watches them with haughtiness.

The only bright character is the one of Chrysothemis. In her humanity is somehow preserved.

The costumes are made by Leo Kulash and it seems to me that if he had shown a little bit more imagination and had contributed to Plamen Kartaloff’s and Sven Jonke’s aesthetics, maybe the costumes would have been more effective and expressive. Somehow these leather clothes, combined with a Greek tunic, remind far too much of this trite aesthetics of the violence of the authority, the libido of the domineering lust … As if it is one too old pattern, which somehow tires the spectators.

Conductor of the evening is Evan-Alexis Christ, who coped very well and manages to master this elemental orchestra, which actually is not just interpreting, being present or accompanying, but it is somehow the tragic chorus, which carries the truth and the whole cosmos. In reality, the orchestra here is the main character and the main achievement of the evening. Indeed, wonderful work of the Bulgarian instrumentalists. The brass wind instruments achieve brilliant success and strong presence. They sound powerfully, horrifying, darkly, as if taken out from the basements. The same way the wind instruments, the flutes – this string, which saturates the tension, panting, complicated, beautiful music picture. Indeed, the tragedy gives a possibility to achieve a catharsis. Somehow the performers themselves are conquered by this powerful energy.

As Elektra presented herself Lilia Kehayova. She has an opportunity as if for the first time to show and develop her big singing talent. Of course, at some places we cannot agree with the technical solutions, to which she approaches purely vocally, while Strauss somehow requires a specific impetuous declamation, with excited aspirations. Lilia Kehayova tries to achieve with power, but somewhere her voice doesn’t stand and she is overforcing, in order to achieve the effect. When her voice is stable, in the first part and in its large prelude, it reveals different colours in her timbre. Here she demonstrated not only the sweet middle tones, but also the power of her heights.

Remarkable is Gergana Rusekova’s Klytaemnestra. Her voice is almost boundless and it possesses special beauty. And in the intonations of Gergana Rusekova is felt a sort of dark wine, of babbling blood, of particular naughtiness. She even reaches contralto colours, which really infatuate. Gergana Rusekova makes a remarkable performance of the character of Klytaemnestra. She is very imposing and very strong.

Exceptional is also the performance of Chrysothemis by Tsvetana Bandalovska. This is a singer with a lot of taste, with many skills for accents. And indeed, she possesses a special feeling for this aesthetics, which fits her in an incredible way. She manages to comprehend Strauss’ concept that Chrysothemis is the nostalgic image of woman. She succeeds to impart really a lyric warmth and beauty to the character. Longingness, fragility by Chrysothemis and compassion for the drama of all characters.

We must not miss also Atanas Mladenov’s Orest, who really takes unexpected timbres out of his voice. He is very impressive as mother killer. Cold and somehow resolute. He pierces with his personage.

Likewise, very well stand the five maids in the face of Rumyana Petrova, Violeta Radomirska, Aleksandrina Stoyanova-Andreeva, Ina Petrova, Silvia Teneva. Their interesting voices are very flowery. Here we must indeed admit that the Bulgarian operatic voice is endowed with special sensuality and, when things are well worked out, rehearsed and the accuracy of the scores are observed, then somehow happens a special magic, because the Bulgarian voices are endowed with great brightness. Thus, a very interesting and curious result is obtained.

Pleasant was also the presence of Dimitar Stanchev in the role of Old servant, and of Angel Hristov as Orest’s tutor, who coped well with his part too.

Generally, “Elektra” is an opera, which is obligatory for everyone, who loves this art. Because it not only continues Wagner’s reform and shows what is possible to happen in the field of music drama, but since Richard Strauss here manages to show what could destroy the personality, and namely this barbarian instinct for power and imposing of hatred on the others. Namely this destroys man. It can take him away from reason and let him to full rationalism, to that rapacity of subconsciousness, which to destroy the human aspect. And the latter consists in the ability to understand, to be compassionate and stay away from the monsters of pride. Namely they are those, which shake up the human aspect. And today as if we know all this. What is, if not greed, what is, if not narcissism and egoism, which kill us. This is what the ancient drama has bequeathed to us, what Strauss was feeling as threat for modern man.