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- Strauss, Richard
Description: Premiered at the Dresden State Opera on January 25, 1909, ELEKTRA, Op. 58, is a groundbreaking one-act opera by Richard Strauss (1864–1949) with a libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, based on Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy. The opera follows the tormented Elektra as she obsessively seeks revenge for the murder of her father, Agamemnon, by her mother Klytämnestra and her mother’s lover Aegisth. With its intense psychological portrait of the heroine and its unrelenting musical ferocity, ELEKTRA pushed the boundaries of tonality and orchestration, marking a turning point in early 20th-century opera. Though its dissonance and raw emotional power shocked early audiences, ELEKTRA is now widely hailed as a masterwork of the modern repertoire, admired for its dramatic compression, powerful vocal writing, and revolutionary orchestral color. It remains a staple of major opera houses, often serving as a showcase for sopranos capable of meeting its immense vocal and emotional demands. Instrumentation: 4(3rd/4th dPicc).3(3rd dEH)+Heck.4+BCl+Eb+2BstHn.3+CBsn: 8(5th-8th dTTuba/BTuba).6+BTpt.3+CBTbn.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Hp(2).Clst: 9 Str (Vn1[2].Vn2[2].Vn3[2].Va1/Vn4[2].Va2[2].Va3[2].Vc1[2].Vc2[2].Bs[3]): Vocal Soli (16 roles, SSSSSSSAAAATTBBB): Chorus. Reprint edition.