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''Elektra'', Op. 58, is a one-act opera by Richard Strauss, to a German-language libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal,〔 which he adapted from his 1903 drama ''Elektra''. The opera was the first of many collaborations between Strauss and Hofmannsthal. It was first performed at the Dresden State Opera on January 25, 1909. ''Elektra'' is a difficult, musically complex work which requires great stamina to perform. The role of Elektra, in particular, is one of the most demanding in the dramatic soprano repertoire. Despite being based on ancient Greek mythology, the opera is highly modernist and expressionist. Hofmannsthal and Strauss's adaptation of the story focuses tightly on Elektra, thoroughly developing her character by single-mindedly expressing her emotions and psychology as she meets with other characters, mostly one at a time. The other characters are Klytaemnestra, her mother and one of the murderers of her father Agamemnon; her sister, Chrysothemis; her brother, Orestes; and Klytaemnestra's lover, Aegisthus. These characters are secondary, and typically remain one-dimensional. Everything else from the myth is minimized as background to Elektra's character and her obsession. Other aspects of the ancient story are completely excluded, tightening the focus on Elektra's furious lust for revenge. The result is a very modern, expressionistic retelling of the ancient Greek myth. Compared to Sophocles's ''Electra'', the opera presents raw, brutal, violent, and bloodthirsty horror. ==Performance history== It is regularly performed and, today, the opera is one of the most frequently performed operas based on classical Greek mythology. ''Elektra'' received its UK premiere at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1910 with Edyth Walker in the title role and Thomas Beecham conducting. The first United States performance of the opera in the original German was given by the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company at the Academy of Music on October 29, 1931, with Anne Roselle in the title role, Charlotte Boerner as Chrysothemis, Margarete Matzenauer as Klytaemnestra, Nelson Eddy as Orest, and Fritz Reiner conducting. A series of concert performances (including Symphony Hall on October 15, 2015 and Carnegie Hall on October 21, 2015) which was given by the Boston Symphony under Andris Nelsons and starred Christine Goerke in the title role, proved the effectiveness of ''Elektra'' even without staging. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Elektra (opera)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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