Metropolitan Opera Archives

Review 1:

Review of Cecil Smith in Musical America
Regina Resnik sang Chrysothemis for the first time in the fourth performance of the “Elektra” revival. In its general patterns her action fitted into Herbert Graf's over-all plan of stage direction, but her visual projection of the frustration of Elektra's younger sister was at times too strident and overwrought to convey the proper contrast between her essential gentleness and Elektra's fierce bloodlust. In her second scene with Astrid Varnay there almost seemed to be two competing Elektras on the stage. This impression was borne out by Miss Resnik's singing, which was rather hard-driven most of the time, and devoid of the lyrical texture Chrysothemis must retain even when she is singing over a large body of orchestral sound.

The orchestra played memorably, under Fritz Reiner's all-engrossing direction. Miss Varnay sang magnificently, and seemed to have entered more fully into the spirit of the part of her acting, which seemed more direct and less contrived than it had before. Elisabeth Hoengen, as Klytemnestra, and Hans Hotter, as Orestes, again gave commanding performances. The other principals in the generally strong cast were Set Svanholm, Jean Madeira, Paula Lenchner, Thelma Votipka, Martha Lipton, Herta Glaz, Mildred Miller, Lucine Amara, Anne Bollinger, Alois Pernerstorfer, Paul Franke, and Lubomir Vichegonov.

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