ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/16/1980
Cast: Levine; Nilsson, Rysanek, Dunn, McIntyre, Nagy
Media: SID.18400210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Strauss
This run of Elektras marked Nilsson’s return to the house after an absence of four years. It is also Levine’s first go at Elektra at the Met (maybe his first staged ones). Nilsson, by her standards is somewhat diminished compared to the 1971 performance under Bohm which catches her in much fresher form and under arguably one of the great Strauss conductors in history and luckily is available in MOoD. This 1980 performance was filmed and is available on DVD on Deutsche Grammophon.
I love Nilsson’s Elektra, but this is not the way to remember her. The video of this performance at least gives you some visuals. The 1971 despite Madeira’s unfortunate Met farewell Klytemnestra (she died not long thereafter) is the Met broadcast to hear Nilsson’s Elektra.