“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/22/1994
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Voigt, Fassbaender, McIntyre, King
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17440316 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
Behrens was not a natural Elektra voice, and her premiere of the production 2 years earlier was her last appearance in the part for close to 2 years. When she returned to the Met for this performance which was also videod and has been issued on DVD in the Levine 40th anniversary collection, she was able to do justice to the part, if not with the tonal reserves of a Nilsson, Varnay, or Jones. This is very early in Deborah Voigt’s career and one hears why she so impressed listeners in the early 90s. This broadcast/telecast is Fassbaender’s Met farewell, and vocally and dramatically she is a bit over the top. She still has her moments.”
