ELEKTRA

(Electra) Composer: RICHARD STRAUSS Book by Huco von HorMannsTHAL, from Sophocles First performance: Hofoper, Dresden, January 25, 1909 Tact. | NEAR THE SERVANTS’ QUARTERS Of the palace at Mycenae, beside the grave ot King Agamemnon, is the scene of this opera. Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, wants to avenge her father’s murder at the hands of her mother, Clytemnestra, now married to Aegis thus. This pair have reduced Electra and her sister, Chrysothemis, to the status of servants. Their brother Orestes has escaped. Clytemnestra is obse ed with superstitions and asks Electra to foretell her days. When Electra does so Clytemnestra screams but is comforted by news from another source that Orestes, who is fated to kill her, isdead. Electra does not believe that he is. She tries to get Chrysothemis to kill Clytemnestra but Chrysothemis is not able. Orestes appears and at first does not recognise his sister Electra. When he does he goes into the palace and kills Clytemnestra. Later he also kills Aegis thus. Wild with joy Electra dances on her father’s grave while Chrysothemis screams for Orestes. There is no answer.