Elektra - Schedule, Program & Tickets

Text by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Tragedy in one act


Musical direction
Simone Young

Staging
Harry Kupfer

Scenic rehearsal
Angela Brandt

Stage
Hans Schavernoch

Costumes
Reinhard Heinrich

Klytämnestra
Violeta Urmana

Elektra
Nina Stemme

Chrysothemis
Simone Schneider

Aegisth
Jörg Schneider

Orest
Christof Fischesser


Contents

Prehistory

Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, and his wife Clytemnestra have four children: Iphigenia, Electra, Chrysothemis and Orestes. When the Greek fleet wants to set sail for Troy, they are held back by a calm wind. Agamemnon has to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis so that she will grant favorable conditions for seafaring. Clytemnestra will never forgive her husband for this. During Agamemnon's absence from the battle for Troy, Clytemnestra becomes attached to Aegisth. When Agagmemnon returns home, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus give him a hypocritical welcome. In the bathroom they kill the defenseless man with an ax. After her father's murder, Elektra was able to bring her young brother Orestes to safety. She has only one thought: to avenge the murder.


Plot

Elektra has broken away from society and above all from Aegisth and Clytemnestra and lives on alone, mentally chained to Agamemnon. Unyielding, she feeds her hatred, building it on Orestes' return as an avenger. The five maids, guarded by the warden, comment on Elektra's behavior: spiteful, boastful, fearful; only the youngest stands up for Elektra and is punished for it. Elektra summons Agamemnon and gets high on her blood visions. Chrysothemis interrupts Elektra's monologue and warns her sister: Aegisth and Clytemnestra plan to imprison her in a tower. When Chrysothemis suggests that she wants to come to terms with the powerful in order to be able to fulfill her wishes for motherhood, Elektra scornfully puts her in her place. The restless Klytämnestra, tormented by memories and nightmares, seeks a dialogue with Elektra and hopes for information from her as to which blood sacrifices and customs will bring her relief. Elektra answers her slowly, enigmatically, subtly and frightens her mother by asking about Orestes. However, when news is brought to Clytemnestra by her confidant, her horror gives way to an obvious sense of triumph. Elektra is irritated until she learns the content of the message from Chrysothemis - their brother Orestes is dead. Elektra does not want to believe this, but then has to believe the messenger's report and decides to take revenge herself. Chrysothemis is supposed to help her. With tenderness and signs of affection, Elektra tries to win her younger sister over to her plan to murder Clytemnestra and Aegisth. But Chrysothemis eludes her sister - and is cursed by her. Now Elektra is determined to do the deed alone. But there comes a stranger who pretends to be a messenger and is supposed to report Orestes' death to Clytemnestra. Elektra's desperation moves him to ask her name. Only then does he reveal himself as her brother – as Orestes! Elektra urges him to commit revenge-murder, which Orestes promises to carry out in a hurry. Alone, Elektra awaits the rest... The death screams of Clytemnestra and the confusion of the maids give her certainty that part of the revenge has been carried out. Aegisthus, summoned by servants, wants to hear the news of Orestes' death himself. Flatteringly, Elektra leads him to where she knows the avenger, who kills him a little later. Filled with revenge that has finally been carried out, Elektra begins one last ecstatic dance...



Subject to change.