This past Sunday evening, WQXR broadcast the Tanglewood ELEKTRA from the previous week. Normally we get such awful radio reception here in Inwood that I almost didn't bother tuning in. But I flipped the radio on at 8:00 and to my surprise it was clear as a bell.
ELEKTRA has, over the years, become a favorite opera of mine. It is so concise and compact, with such a panorama of human emotion set against the brilliant, ghastly music. The vocal writing makes the word "taxing" seem like an under-statement. And the work contains the most heart-rending love music that I think I've ever heard: fraternal love music, that is, as Elektra and her long-lost brother Orest fall into one another's arms at the climax of the Recognition Scene. "The dogs of the palace know me, but not my own sister!"..."Orest!!!". Thunderbolt. The world stops turning. Elektra's despair, her terror and her shame are all washed clean by the pure tenderness of the music as she stands there, safe in her brother's embrace. Just thinking about it makes me cry.
This is of course one of James Levine's masterpieces and I have been deeply moved and gratified by several Met performances of the work which he has conducted. For this broadcast, he was leading not the BSO but the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. These young players did themselves proud in this treacherous score.
Levine has, as everyone knows, been on injury leave since taking a fall at a BSO concert in Boston this past winter. Post-surgery, and with rumors abounding about his health in general, he let the music fly with his customary power and obvious deep affection for the piece.
The soprano Lisa Gasteen made a noble effort to encompass the demands of the title role but, as with her WALKURE Brunnhilde from Royal Albert Hall last year, she lacks comfort at the top of the range. This made for some pretty desperate moments. When relieved of the need to sing above the stave, Gasteen proved quite a vivid interpreter. As Chrysothemis, Christine Brewer's warmer, more billowing sound eclipsed - to my ears - Deborah Voigt's efforts in this role at the Met. My only quibble with Brewer was, she pushed in the lower register while clipping short one or two top notes. But the voice is really very impressive. I was recalling, during the performance, that I attended both ladies Met debuts. Gasteen made a very mediocre impression in her now-forgotten house debut as Aida. It was the unannounced farewell of Sherrill Milnes (who took a titanic, unscripted high B-flat in the Triumphal Scene) while Dolora Zajick calmly walked off with all the honors vocally. I first heard Brewer when she won the Met Auditions, and it was several seasons before she stood on that stage again and delivered a magnificent single-evening portrayal of Ariadne in the Strauss opera. After her monolog, the audience broke in with a sustained applause while Levine beamed at her from the podium and gave her a "love-heartbeat" gesture.
But, back to ELEKTRA. Veteran Wagnerian Siegfried Jerusalem holds up well as Aegist. The powerful singing of Alan Held made the role of Orest leap to prominence; I've seen Held in this opera at the Met - and also his very impressive Wozzeck last season - and he really has the goods. His voice is strong, darkish, and he conveys the character's odd mixture of courage and fear. And there was the outstanding 5th Maid of Jennifer Check.
I'd have to put Felicity Palmer at the top of my list of memorable Klytamnestras - and it's a list that includes such immortals as Mignon Dunn, Christa Ludwig, Maureen Forrester, Brigitte Fassbaender, Leonie Rysanek and Hanna Schwarz among others. But Palmer really got under the character's skin. She really SANG the music, too, with organ-like lower notes and complete ease & tonal firmness higher up. She used the language as an expressive vehicle, colours applied to her vocal canvas with the skill of a great painter.
Levine has said he will do this work whenever he finds a willing title-protagonist. Despite her flaws, I would happily attend this opera multiple times if Gasteen were to tackle it at the Met - provided Palmer was also in the cast.
The only drawback to the broadcast was the very annoying "hosting" of Jamie Bernstein. While people rush to criticize Margaret Juntwait's announcing skills on the Met broadcasts, Juntwait has it all over Bernstein in my book.
But in the end, nothing could infringe on my enjoyment of the performance. Any flaws were swept away as the orchestra crashed like a tidal wave on the final chords. Massive ovation from the crowd.
