During the week of November 15-22 2015, the opera ELEKTRA by Richard Strauss was performed in Bologna, Italy. The opera was a great success, in particular because of the great performance by the soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, who has appeared previously on our magazine. We insert some of the raving critical comments on her performance…

WATCH A VIDEO OF ELEKTRA WITH ELIZABETH BLANCKE-BIGGS

Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs

“Elektra could be defined as a “one woman show”, and Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs truly succeeds in drawing the spectator to her with a charisma that makes one want her monologues and scenes to never end. Her interpretation is breath-takingly fascinating, based on a declamation and use of text that would make a Shakespearian actor jealous. Her lirico-spinto voice, warm and convincing, fits the role perfectly, and the great professional knows how to keep her sound bright and smooth in the center of her voice, and in the beautiful high register, and then to obtain the maximum dramatic effect to darken the low, and medium low parts without taking away the musicality in this difficult role rich in quasi spoken, whispered, and loud passages, heading almost to screams.”

WWW.TEATRO.IT:  “Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs is an Elektra who is well suited in every way to take on the difficulties of the part: the voice has the proper volume, the color shows a beautiful old style darkness appropriate for the role, the high notes are solid and brilliant, and the character is vividly and intricately drawn in its lucid madness cloaked by a fury that is more interior than exterior.”

…an optimal cast made this show great, not only vocally, but theatrically. Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs was superb in the title role. Her Elektra was expressively strong, thanks also to her voice which leaned toward the dark, but was well projected; her performance was sublime, perfectly illustrating the character, knowing how to show her tragic and mad side, and also her passionate and romantic one.”

Follows the cast for the performances:

Conductor	Lothar Zagrosek
Director	Guy Joosten
Scenography and choreography	Patrick Kinmonth
Lights	Manfred Voss
Assistant to the director	Wolfgang Gruber
Chorus Master	Andrea Faidutti

Set up by Teatro Comunale di Bologna
from Théâtre de La Monnaie / De Munt Bruxelles
and Gran Teatro de Liceu Barcelona

Orchestra, Chorus e Technicians from Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra

Elizabeth Blanke-Biggs as Elektra