(Above: Irène Friedli, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Sen Guo, Liuba Chuchrova. Photo: Hans Jörg Michel.)
The New Music Director of the Zurich Opernhaus, Daniele Gatti, led the premiere of Strauss's Elektra in Martin Kusej's 2003 reprised production which opened last night.
The Milanese Maestro held firm the poduim, conducting the Orchester der Oper Zürich in the insanely taxing, expressionist work last heard at the Opernhaus Zurich seven years ago in the same production (with Christoph von Dohnányi conducting his Yamamotos off).
Eva Johansson sings the lead. Greek mezzo and former big playa in Herbie von Karajan's scarily awesome circle of singers, Agnes Baltsa, sings Klytämnestra. Sassy American soprano Emily Magee rounds-out the cast as Chrysothemis.
We're happy to hand Gatti his Elektra victory by his adoring Swiss fans, which is only made sweeter by last night's massacre at San Siro where Internationale FC handed Milan AC their collective a$$es on a platter in a 2-0 triumph. Although Gatti may call Zurich his new home, he'll never stop cheering for gli azzurri.
(Above: Eva Johansson. Photo: Hans Jörg Michel.)
(Above: Emily Magee. Photo: Hans Jörg Michel.)
You'll have to click the link below to see photos of the fabulous Ms. Agnes Baltsa. Are you ready?