[Met Performance] CID:213570
Elektra {38} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/20/1968.
(Debut: Ina Delcampo
Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
February 20, 1968
ELEKTRA {38}
Elektra.................Birgit Nilsson
Chrysothemis............Ina Delcampo [Debut]
Klytämnestra............Jean Madeira
Orest...................William Dooley
Aegisth.................Ticho Parly
Overseer................Carlotta Ordassy
Serving Woman...........Shirley Love
Serving Woman...........Joann Grillo
Serving Woman...........Nancy Williams
Serving Woman...........Lilian Sukis
Serving Woman...........Clarice Carson
Confidant...............Elinor Harper
Trainbearer.............Mary Fercana
Young Servant...........Charles Anthony
Old Servant.............Edward Ghazal
Guardian................Paul Plishka
Conductor...............Thomas Schippers
Review of Irving Kolodin in the Saturday Review
In conjunction with Birgit Nilsson's last Elektra of the season - which was, perhaps, the best sung of any she has ever offered here - there was occasion for re-acquaintance with the Klytämnestra of Jean Madeira. She has, in the lapse of seven years since last performing the part here, intensified its horror content by an infusion of psychopathic degeneracy almost endearing in its loathsomeness. As for vocal production, when she enunciated her first words - "Was willst Du? Seht doch, dort!" - one had the impression that, maybe, after all, the new Met did incorporate an amplifying system. Such a fantasy was of no service to Ina Delcampo, a soprano associated with a background in Vienna, who made her debut as Chrysothemis. Her action suggested a long, hard look at the characterization of Leonie Rysanek, but it was blurred, foggy, and unfocused in vocal production - a set of strong disabilities vis-a-vis Strauss's scoring.