Thursday, May 24, 2007

Elektra-cherry: popped

A: dude
A: so
A: I know you've 'told' me about Elektra
A: but I don't know if you've really told me
A: it is out of control
J: have you been listening?
A: I am watching
J: which one?
A: eva marton
A: cheryl studer
A: i mean
A: I can imagine a different cast
A: but it doesn't really matter amidst finally understanding the awesomeness
J: yeah
J: and Eva Marton is sort of gresat in that
A: I just couldn't really get it until I watched it
A: how does one not end up killing oneself after seeing it live?
A: Poodles was the Elektra?
J: no no
A: oh ok
J: she was Klytamnestra
A: i was about to think she was like supernatural
J: well she may be
A: true dat
J: I am watching that Daphne Rubin Vega Fantine again
J: man that is a trainwreck
A: hehe
A: it's just so perfectly wretched
A: like, the platonic ideal of wretchedness
A: I feel like I might be tempted to boo that
J: "no wine untasted" is my favorite
A: I mean
A: it's still going on, right?
J: yeah but not with her
J: she was replaced with miss saigon
A: ah
A: that's for the best, really
J: I Dreamed a Dream I was a Phillipina in France
A: When hope was high
A: and coconuts were tasty
J: haha
A: my god
A: this opera is so insane
A: toronto was your first time seeing it live, right?
J: um yes
J: well
J: there was Tanglewood last year
J: but that was in concert
A: oh right
A: cheryl is doing a good job, requisite wobble notwithstanding
J: as Chrysothemis?
A: yeah
A: how do singers make it out of this bloody thing alive?
A: wait
A: who are E and Chysothemis going to kill?
J: Klyt and Aegisth
A: ah
A: sweet
J: Chrys keeps chickening out
A: yeah
A: I caught that
A: Cheryl Studer has a good opera chicken face
J: hah
J: is there a drum circle tonight?
A: not yet
A: they seem to have gone out
A: mind you, they were rehearsing when I left at 9 this AM
A: there seems to be one song they are very intent on
A: I could sing it for you
A: it's kind of catchy in an "oh god stop playing it next to my head" kind of way
A: after this, I'm going to watch the DVD of the Mazeppa recording we have
J: !!
J: man I wish I could come over
A: it would be good times
A: maybe I will have to figure out how to burn it and we can watch it next time
A: the guy who elektra has a big scene with
A: that's Aegisthus?
J: no that's Orestes
J: the baritone
A: but she doesn't get it?
A: ah
A: I see
A: O-reeeeeeeee-stes
A: Mme. Schumann-Heink, the Clytemnestra of the original production in Dresden: "I will never sing the role again. It was frightful. We were a set of mad women… There is nothing beyond ‘Elektra.’ We have lived and reached the furthest boundary in dramatic writing for the voice with Wagner. But Richard Strauss goes beyond him. His singing voices are lost. We have come to a full stop. I believe Strauss himself sees it." -- And, indeed, in his next opera, "Der Rosenkavalier," the composer shows far more consideration for the voice, and has produced a score in which the melodious elements are many.
J went idle at 10:16:30 PM.
A: dude
A: that thing is off the hook

6 comments:

Lisa Hirsch said...

> how does one not end up killing
> oneself after seeing it live?

Ahahaha, I have long wanted to see the suicide double bill of Elektra and Bluebeard's Castle.

And, guys, speaking of dementia, get the Goetz Friedrich film with Rysanek in the title role and the late-career Varnay as Klyt.

Anonymous said...

Is that the DVD from Vienna with Abbado that y'all were watching? It's not perfect, but I really do like the dominant image of the beheaded colossus in the courtyard, and they do something with the ending, Hugo's big modification to his source material.

(I've missed you guys, too! Write more.)

Maury D'annato said...

Oh, do not pass go: watch the little clip of Marton (in not 100% good voice) and Rysanek singing Elektra on youtube. Um, and ignore Marton blowing her nose at the end. Anyway it's in concert and doesn't include any of Rysanek singing, but she gets to do one of the great non-sung parts of any opera, and exactly the kind of thing she went berserk with. God how I love Elektra. I kill myself at the end every damn time.

Alex said...

Wow...that (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZtmNNpHt_UE) is genius. PS, gotta love that formal scoop neck muumuu business EM is wearing.

Peter Bucknell said...

I love Elektra too. Simone Young had a viola section of 18 in 2000! 6 of us had violins hanging on the stand to pick up in the last act (violin IV part). It's hardly ever done on that scale... twas amazing.

Can you guys put a link to my blog up:

New York Toimes

Have a look anyway. It's somewhat relevant....

Pete

Anonymous said...

Cheryl Studer is phenomenal as Chrysothemis in that video. It's a must-have.