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Write a review of your experience at Elektra. In your review, analyze one scene in particular and discuss it using the five elements of music. How did melody, harmony, color, form, and rhythm help shape the scene? How did they contribute to your understanding of the text?
Then end your review with comments on your overall impression of the production. Comment on the lighting, costumes, singing, and any other aspects of the performance you would like to mention. Read the other students' entries and try to add something original to the comments.
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61 comments:
Mackenzie Engel
Period 6
As my first opera, the overall production was very impressive to me. However, I think I was a little misled by the sound clips that we listened to during class because they always sounded very melodious and I expected the entire opera to be that way. American music is so full of rhyming verses that I think it is our tendency to see that as “normal” and anticipate it. But in Elektra the aim at some points seemed to be to tell the story, not to sing in a way that is perceived by uneducated opera spectators as harmonious. A scene that I particularly enjoyed was when Elektra dances her jig and dies of happiness. You can feel the rhythm in her stomping foot steps and the color, melody, and harmony convey a feeling of triumph and long sought after victory. As opposed to when we read the scene, through the music you can really feel the triumph and emotion that she feels in the moment. I thought that the screen with the English translation was extremely beneficial and it helped me keep up with exactly what was going on. Aside from the music, I thought that the lighting was the most striking aspect of the performance. It was utilized very well to convey further the drama and emotion of the scenes, especially during the final scene when Chrysothemis watches Elektra dance herself to death.
Helen Wiltsey Period 4
Going to Elektra, I was aprehensive yet excited. The excitement came from just the general beauty and grandness of theatre, with set designs, costuming, and of course the actual performance itself. Except in this case, I wasn't too keen on seeing Elektra. The music seemed discordant when we listened to it in the classroom and only when the Agamemnon motif came it was like a gasp of fresh air. When it came down to actually experiencing Elektra, I was very pleasently surpised. The sets and costumes were fabulous, but when the singing and visual stimulation both lacked in the middle, I found it hard to pay attention. The music itself live was very powerful, and you could feel, through Elektra's signing as well as the lighting the passion from Elektra or the fear/anger from Clytomnestra. My favorite singer was Elektra's sister. Her voice was a lot softer than all the other voices and music in Elektra, and was a welcome relief. I also applaude the genetic diversity of Elektra's family, and makes me wonder if Aegisthus and Agamenon were the only men Clytomnestra fooled around with. The most disapointing part of this opera was the fact that Elektra had not seemed to find the time to take epic death-dance lessons...
Shae Hurst Period 6
The scene in the beginning of the opera when Elektra says she is going to avenge her father s murder. During this part most of the singing is angry, shrill, and fairly unsettling and the music that goes along with it is grandiose and booming. One thing in particular I noticed was that the color of the music was using a lot of stringed instruments as well some symbols along with some sort of bells. The melody during this scene was harder for me to pinpoint. I guess it contained some of the jig melody that recurs at the end. The harmony was kind of like the music was repeating and spiraling down at the same time. Each subsequent part was lower and sounded like the instruments were running out of steam. The form was broken up into sections where the music would restart its melody. It was kind of choppy and discontinuous. The rhythm was very clear and obvious during this scene because it kept repeating one part of music again and again. This helped to understand the text because it was kind of like Elektra’s realization that she must avenge her father and the downward spiral that she goes on from there that ends in her death. It’s like the beginning of her death in a way because it has elements of the jig that she does in the end that kills her. She has been saying for years that she is going to get her mother and Ageisth back and this is like the culmination of all those years because she finally has the chance. I thought all in all the production was really good. I like the story line of Elektra any way because I think the subject of revenge is very ironic, like in proves to be in Elektra because of her death, but I also really like the visuals of this opera as well. The set was really dark and scary with the stone walls of the castle and the overall chilling effect.
Chris Hong Period 6
How did melody, harmony, color, form, and rhythm help shape the scene? How did they contribute to your understanding of the text?
Elektra that we saw as a class this wednsday was very impressive. This was the fist opera that i experienced and it was definitely better than what i expected before. My favorite scene in this opera was probably fighting scene at the end. When this fighting scene started everything changed into this dark and gloomy setting. lighting was mixed color between red and purple. Harmony during this scene was also very dark and unique. It sounded very much like a minor chords rather than major which made it sound more dark i think. Rythm of this scene was very fast and upbeat obviously because it is a fighting scene. Everything was loud and fast moving. Seeing the actual opera definitely made an enourmous difference then just reading the story/text. This is becuase i actually got to what was going on at this moment instead of just visualizing it. I could also see people's emotion and that helped a lot too. Over all, i thought the opera was very well performed.
Lacey Helmuth 4
One scene that I remember particularly is the scene where Clytemnestra was being killed. Melody was very loud and fast, while the harmony had tons of instruments, but mostly drums. The color was dark, and red. Rhythm was very fast just like the melody, and changed alot. It helped me understand because I could tell when she was dying and when she was hit with the ax.
The best part of the opera was the background and set. It was so real and HUGE. It even had the window and stuff behind it. The fire was a good touch also. The costumes seemed realistic, and I wasn't really expecting anything when I first got in there, but if I was, these were perfect.
Overall, the opera was very easy to follow and I didn't fall asleep!
Preston James Longoni
Period 4
The part from the opera Elektra that I remember most clearly is the part where Klytamnestra was preparing a human sacrifice.They had the person held down on the rock by at least four men, and they were ready to kill him/her, but then Klytamnestra walked throught the gigantic doors and everyone stopped and she started singing. The lighting was red at this moment. There were very sudden jolks of loud music. The rhythm was very choppy. From the music you could sense that something evil was about to happen. The red light brought the feeling of blood. The only harmony I can remember was Klytamnestra's voice and the loud music. I can't remember the exact melody I think it was all over the place. In this scene there was the use of that brush thing smacking the drum. I thought this opera was very interesting because the stage was huge and looked real, I could follow it this time since it had the traslation above, the costumes were very realistic and fit the time period, and mainly because I had probably the best seat, middle, first row to the section we had. The only problem for me was the lighting when it was blue, like at the beginning, because it hurt my eyes when I focused on people on the stage for some reason.
Talia Cowan per6
The scene that is most prominent in my mind was the scene where Elektra and Clytemnestra were discussing cures for dreaming. When Clytemnestra was pleased with Elektra being helpful and not being as abrasive as usual, the music was smoother, and less jarring. The notes for Elektra's sarcastic responses complimented Clytemnestra's notes well so it would seem they were on good terms happy and helpful. But when Elektra mentions the sacrifice would be Clytemnestra herself, the melody and harmonies return to the jarring feel. The mood goes from light, smooth and bubbly, to sharp, inconsistent and unsettling. From winds to strings and a slight mixture of both. Slow tempos slowly getting more loud, prominent and sticato. The scene shows complete opposite ideas; slow vs. fast, soft vs. loud, all of the opposites helped show the interactions. The over all performance was well done, there were times when i was confused as to who was singing and what they were singing, either because the instruments over powered them or the performers were so neutral that there was no defining spot too be looking at. Then there are the fighting groups at the end... they were a nice touch, but could seriously be taken out and the opera would still be good.
Porter Bree P4
Well...I'm still debating on if I did or did not appreciate the opera Elektra. I pictured the opera set up of the opera to be different than it actually was. But the director may have a lot to do with that. Also I thought some of the transitions weren't as clear as they could have been for example when the animal was being sacrificed I found that I was not the only one who had no clue as to what was going on.
But I did like how the lights corresponded with the music so when the scenes would get dramatic, or when someone would die, or the Agamemnon harmony would come on the light colors would change and set the atmosphere. (ex. When they were lighting the fire outside the gates the lights turned Red, Orange and Yellow, and painted the picture that Electra was literally in a "darkest hour" and after the fires were set the whole atmosphere changed she was "exposed). "
I also think the orchestra did a great job of mimicking sounds i.e. the fly swatter etc. I thought the music and text correlated very well.
I also appreciated the appearances of the characters as far as costumes etc. I loved that Elektra was masculine, and looked kinda scruffy...I liked that her mother was overly decorated...especially upon her husbands death, she still makes herself (status) "known" through her attire.
The singing amazing!! Especially Elektra's sister she kicked butt. Orest defined man hood through his lyric, twas amazing.
Oh i thought the relationships between Electra and her relatives all seemed rather sexual...there seemed to be a same sort of infatuation between Elektra and Orest as between Elektra and Agamemnon. I thought the relationship between Elektra and her mother had a lack of hated as described in the text.
And the most annoying part of the Opera was when Orest locks his sister out of the gates at the end...why did he do it??
Nathan Zimmerman, Per. 6
Elektra was a very interesting performance at the Seattle Opera house. The scene that struck me the most and that I still vividly remember is the scene where Orestes first comes into focus. This happens with a sharp drop in lighting as Elektra huddles in a corner. A bright light lights up the stage coming from an entryway on the left side of the stage. The shadow of a hooded figure comes into focus on the opposite side of the stage. Then Orestes comes out to go up to the palace and greets who he doesn’t know is his sister. The Melody in the music of this section is fairly step-like but deep in tone. The Harmony of this section was one-layered and although the music seemed to be played at random it created a feeling of suspense. Their seemed to be an absence of rhythm at the direct sequence I am thinking of. The feel or color of this section was dark and the variation in instruments was none. Lastly, the form during this section was with two people singing and they were talking/greeting each other.
The best thing that I thought about the production of the play was how the dynamic lighting set a different mood for each scene of the play. It would change sometimes very rapidly, and I thought it made for an excellent foreshadowing tool among other things. The way that the director chose to take the costumes was interesting as well. I was fairly surprised when the witch doctor of Clytemnestra came out in an African influenced large costume that I wouldn’t expect to be present in a Greek story.
Andrew Kemis
Period 6
My favorite scene in Elektra was the moment when Elektra's sister explains why she cannot help kill her mother. The song that comes from this scene is more or less a debate where Elektra pleads for her help. Elektra's sister uses high octane notes in a major chords that separates this particular song from the dissidence that is the rest of the opera. The attitude of Elektra's sister shapes the color of the scene into a swift and smooth flowing melody that is lighter then the dark overtone of the opera. The melody, and rhythm were repetitive and reverted back harmony continuously. The melody which was swift was matched by the orchestra in away that created a form of togetherness and harmony. The orchestra reflected the attitude of Elektra's sister by using the string instruments to mimic happiness in the form of her dreams to be a wife and child barrier. The costumes had a direct correlation to the mood, as did the lighting. The bigger demonstrator of the mood was the orchestra who would bring in the brass instruments with a low tone to reflect danger and/or sadness.
Megan Lowry Period 2
The scene I chose from Elektra is the scene where Orestes reveals his idendity to Elekta herself. I could defenitly hear traces of the 'loving family theme' that Jonathan showed us in the melody. The way that the backgrounds f(orchestra) harmonized with Elektra's and Orestes voices also echoed the love and releif of the scene. In the rest of the opera the orchestra serves as mostly a background to make Elektra's lines even more discordant, but in this scene they really supported her and Orestes voices. As far a color goes, both the music and the lighting worked together to make this scene softer and less difficult to get through than the other scenes. The form was not that significant in forming the scene- except for the addition of the loving family theme. The rythm was missing Elektra's little jig, making it, again, less frightening and more calm than the rest of the performance.
Although I found the translation screen made it al little harder to stay fousedon what was going on onstage, I found it helpful in comparing the director's choices and vision of the oprea with the script itself. The lighting was, in my opinion, the most interesting contribution of the director. For example, every time a character from the castle (Klytemnestra, Chrysothymus) entered Elektra's courtyard, there was always someone lighting torches and making the place brighter. But when it was just Elekrta herself, most of the lights were extinguished. I thought this was an interesting comment on the fear of the family- we use light to counteract our fear of the darkness, and they the characters were using light to counteract thier fear of Elektra.
Michelle Le, period 2
One of the scenes that I remember particularly is the one where Clytomnestra first appears, and she starts singing about how she wants to talk to her daugter Elektra. What I thought was interesting about all of it is that although there was obvious tension and hatred in their relationship, there was an instant when that lovely melody appears while Clytomnestra is singing. You know, that melody Jonathan was talking about which shows up whenever theres some sort of suggestion that the family was once loving? For a moment the melody, which usually sounded very agitated, had an underlying sound that was flowing and beautiful. The harmony might've had major chords, which made it sound a little brighter, but I'm not sure. The instruments used were a lot of strings I think, making it sound a bit more flowy. And the rhythm was not really slow, and not really fast, so sort of inbetween. The overall effect had an underlying notion of love, which showed that Clytomnetstra maybe had really small feelings about Elektra being her daughter.
This was the first opera I've been to. I can't say that I liked it very much. The music was too agitating for me. But I'm sure I'll like the other operas we see better. I did like the lighting though, and how it changed with the music. It gave you a better feel for what was going on. And the costumes were very interesting. The set was impressive, though I wish it could've changed a bit from time to time. I thought the part when we saw the shadow of Oresties stabbing Agisthes was a bit cheesy.
Sarah Elliott
Period 2
Unfortunately I was unable to attended Elektra but will be seeing it soon. So instead I will be discussing what we've been learning about "All the Kings Men". So far we've been learning about the very complex relationship tree of each person. Though I must say after actually making the tree in class, it's much easier to understand. Also what interests me about the show is that it is based off of the actually like of Huey P. Long. People in that time made him sound like such a bad guy but that thing that really is intriguing to me is that he actually did more good than bad. For example he help homeless and orphans. What I'm most excited for when we see it is the on stage musicians. I've heard of shows doing this before, for example "Sweeny Todd" does this on Broadway, but I've never actually seen it and I finally get too. It seems like a really cool concept. I'm very excited for the performance overall because Intiman in known for pumping out really well done performances.
PS I saw "Spring Awakening" this weekend at the paramount and they mentioned Goethe's Faust. I was so proud I knew what they were talking about!
Stephanie Bateman Period 2
The scene that I particularly remeber to express the five elements of music was the first scene that Elektra and her sister sing together in. The diversity between sweet-goody-girl and Elektra's taunting ways showed music full of expression and personality. The lighting also helped give all the acting/singing a even greater effect. I found that I wasn't paying as much attention to the singing though as I was to the story. Both the singing the music and the lighting gave me a better understanding of what was going on. Without even reading the subtitles it was almost ALWAYS clear of the mood of each character. (I also think part of what helped was that we studied it so much.)
I did enjoy most of the Opera. The lighting was so expressive and the set was big and realistic. But, a few parts seemed to be "funny" that I don't think were supposed to be funny. When the shadow appears with the knife during the killing, it seemed to be more cheesy than realistic. I don't know how they could have done it on stadge..so I guess it was the best way but I can say that most the people around me were pretty surprised at that that aswell. For my first opera though it was a good experience.
Rosie Polaschek, Period 4
As soon as Elektra began, I was taken aback by the level of production. The set on stage looked amazing, and really conveyed the atmosphere of the place Elektra had been forced to live well. The first entrance of Elektra was the most striking scene for me, because of how well I recognised the opening notes of Agamemnon after hearing them in class so often. The singer playing Elektra was so powerful, and really seemed to build a lot of power and feeling into her first big song. I loved the way the director composed all the different components of the opera, like set, costume and lighting. The lighting really helped to see where the tone of the piece was about to - or had just - changed, and the costumes were all very well matched.
Dathan Bauman
period 2
This was my first opera and I really enjoyed it. The opera was very close to what I thought it would look like. There were little changes that I saw, like the soldiers getting killed by the warriors Orestes brought in. The person playing Electra was really good too. I thought she really showed how crazy Electra was in the end. The background added alot to the mood of the opera. When they lit the torches it made the mom seem actuly scary. What was also intresting was how they hid the instruments under the stage. Overall I like the play and the opera house was huge.
Heather Thomas Period 2
Elektra was my first opera and going over the story before seeing the show REALLY helped me understand better. Although because we studied it so much, I kind of had the characters picked out in my mind and some suprised me because of how different they acted or looked. For example, Elektra's sister was NOT anything like I was expecting. Also, the mother was not as mean as I hoped. Yes, she was indeed scary but more frightened than demanding like I thought she was going to be.
In the seen where Elektra meets her brother again, the music flowed perfectly with their actions. As agist came in his shadow was filled with slow creepy melody. You can feel the rhythm as they start to learn more and more about who the other person is. For example how he realizes that she is Elektra and asks her questions such as "How did they do this to you?" and he's rush to show her it's him. The emotion and color this scene shows through, mostly, its music shows the feelings that is truly coming from the characters.
Kenna Campbell
Period 6
I enjoyed the scene where Electra was singing and dancing and the lighting would change with her mood. It was only her so there was no harmony but how she used the stage was very effective. I also enjoyed when she was talking with her sister and they were singing two different things but still were in harmony. They were so physical in showing their emotions which was good since it was in a different language. My overall review is i liked it but in many situations it was very strange. I don't know if it is something i would like to sing again. Maybe in a real performance when they are singing out i would be more into it.
Cristina Rice
Period 2
Elektra was my very first opera I have been to. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but i did a lot. In the scene where the "dogs" were talking about Elektra I liked when they had the swatting sound when they were mocking Elektra about the fly. When they would say go away fly the swatting sound came on and it have me this picture in my head just from the sound. The melody was constantly changing, the instruments were usually doing the melody. The harmony was usually from Elektra. A lot of it was so high it's amazing how high Elektra could get and be able to make everyone hear it in that huge opera house. The rhythm would change depending on what was happening. When it was an intense part the rhythm was fast. But when they were talking about their family is was slow and sweet. There was a variety of instruments even though they didn't have nearly as much as Mahler's Symphony. The form was great. Everything flowed and worked together. All of their voices worked with all the instruments and the others voices.
I think the stage looked great. It's hard to have the whole opera/play all on one scene, area and they made the building so well it looked very real. The lighting was kind of different it kind of gave the dark look, symbolizing that suffer of Elektra and the family. As I said the singing was amazing, I would never be able to sing the loud and beautifully. Also it must be so hard to sing that long night after night. Elektra was very good and I'm excited to see the next performance.
Danielle Jacobson P.6
The scene i think that i enjoyed the best in the play was the scene where Elektra's mother want s to talk to her about her nightmare's. In this scene the melody i found was almost threatening because the way the music went along with Elektra it kept leaping at the point that she wanted her mother dead. There wasn't much harmony of the voices in this scene but, the instruments did come together to make it frightening in the end when Elektra was scaring her mother and it made the scene more intense. This was also part of the color of the scene because the different choice of instruments made it more dramatic. The way that they changed the tempo and volume of the instruments in the rhythm made it all come together nicely to add more effects to the scene so at certain points it seemed to climax more than others. Also Elektra's mothers tone of voice seemed very victimized and scared where Elektra's was filled with emotion and anger so the form of the scene would change with the way they changed their singing. Whenever Elektra sang it seemed to become more angry, dark, and intense. All of the elements came together though to contribute to shaping the scene and the point they were trying to get across. Elektra despised her mother and wanted nothing more than her to be dead. It helped me understand the text more though because seeing the way they acted with the way they sang gave me a better grasp of what they wanted to portray and it had a greater impact. For the show overall i thought it was very well done. It was something new because i have never seen an opera and i really enjoyed how they could have one setting(background) but they could change it so much with characters and lighting. They made the mood of the opera dark when it needed to be and happier when it needed to be just by changing tones, lighting, and the music. It all came together to create a great performance.
Jacob Carpenter
Period 4
I thought the introduction of the play when Elektra first runs out on stage and starts singing was a very good way of shaping the story. The 5 elements of music took over the performance and sent us on an operamajical ride. The color in the beginning was very bold and dark, her father had been murdered and she was pondering ideas of revenge. The form was very loose in a way that you didn’t know what Elektra was going to do next.
I overall thought the opera production went great. I enjoyed how they used intense lighting to keep the audience attached. For example every time you would look away or blink you would notice a different color light glaring on the stage, and it would explain in greater depth the emotions on the actors. Speaking of actors I thought they all had amazing voices except for the sister, I couldn’t quite find her jive. I thought it was hilarious when Elektra was groping her sister and telling her how strong she was, it was very funny too all of us immature high school students.
Tess Opincarne
Period 6
I found that throughout the entire performance there was a slight disconnection between the singing and the music. While both were related to the story well, they seemed almost unrelated. For example, in the beginning, when Elektra was telling of the injustice done to her father, the music was very harsh and strong, the melody, form, and rhythm particularly dramatic. The melody of Elektra's singing also showed the emotion of the scene. The harmony between the two seemed fairly counter-intuitive, but maybe in their disjointedness was the over all message of the opera. It served to show the wildness of Elektra's emotions, and through her emotions the wildness of human nature and the sense it doesn't necessarily have to make. Like most others, I found the lighting of the opera to make the largest impact, displaying the feeling of each scene through color, particularly when the door on the left of the stage glowed bright white as the messenger came in.
Jordan Adam - Per. 4
Watching Elektra, though not as enjoyable as Mahler’s Symphony, was a wholly worthwhile experience. The show’s music was very well performed and enhanced the story nicely. The scene between Elektra and Clytemnestra early in the show was particularly musically memorable for me. During their exchange, I remember the music being of two distinctive and separate types whenever each of the two characters was singing. Elektra’s parts were harsh and masculine, with little harmony and plenty of rhythm, while Clytemnestra’s sections were full of bright, feminine sounds. Clytemnestra would be backed by flowery melody and harmony when singing about how she wanted to live as a woman, holding and caring for her children. Every piece of music in the scene correlated to either the character’s attitude or what was being talked about, and gave a fuller picture of the situation.
The set was particularly well done as well. The illusion of depth that the curvature of the walls gave was fascinating, and every piece of set looked beautifully professional and polished. Though not necessary, the small action sequences between soldiers and invaders were very entertaining. After the long periods of singing with little stage movement, some quick scuffling battles were refreshing. This show’s given me an optimistic outlook on the other operas we’ll be seeing. Hopefully they will be just as well produced and entertaining as this one.
Rebecca Taicz. Period 6
The beginning scene where Elektra mourns her father was particularly skillful. When the maids are talking, the lighting was blue, melancholy, sad but also kind of cold and frozen. When Elektra comes in to sing her part, the light becomes purple, the color royalty and nobility. At this point in the play, even through Elektra has made herself mad with grief, she is still associated with the nobility and royalty that comes through her lineage from Agamemnon. Later on the color for her is a mix between the two colors, but for now it is all purple. Also, the music reflects Elektra’s mental state. The violins play swirling music that pushes and pulls, in a high register that shows how her mind is divided and unstable. Although the music is quieter than much of the other music in the opera, it is more disturbing. Overall, the opera was really good. Even though there was only one setting for the whole opera, the director used it masterfully, with the different colored lighting and the music interpretation. The costumes were very well done as well, accurately portraying the character’s moods at each time, such as when Elektra removes her purple cloak to place it on Orestes, and the elaborately overdone outfits of Clytemnestra’s group. I was, however, a little disappointed in Elektra’s final dance. It seemed like she never really got into the dance, and when she finally fell down, it seemed very anti-climactic.
Tanner Low Period 4
One particular scene that really stuck out at me was when Orest walked in, but Elektra didn't know it was him, and when she sang it was the usual, scratchy, minor key, elektra music. but when Orest sang it used a lot more deep brass instruments and had a much more melodic sound with harmonies that really added to the richness. I didn't realize it was Orest until I heard the music, it sounded like the music of a noble and courageous man. Also the different rythms of Elektra's dancing and Chrysothemis's dancing, really stuck out at me. Elektra's was the jig in 3/4 time and Chrysothemis's was a Waltz and i'm not sure what time signature that is in. I also really enjoyed the technical elements of the opera, especially the way they used the lights when elektra was describing her father and her father's murder, the lights slowly turned from just regular lights to blood red. overall i really enjoyed the opera and can't wait for the next one.
i think that the opera was alright for being my first opera. it was not as bad as i imagined. but i think that i pictured it to be alot different then it actually was. i imagined the music to sound liek it did when we listened to it in class and for some reason i think it sounded a little different and it wasn't as loud as i expected either. i also expected that there would be alot of scene changes and stuff like there are in plays but there was only one set and i didnt like that that much because to me it kinda started to get old after a little bit. i could tell though from the tones of voices that they used if they were sad or happy and i thought that was really cool how thay could do that with their voices. a scene that i enjoyed was when Elektra danced her jig and then died from the happiness she felt. i thought that the costumes ppl wore fit the opera perfect though. and the colors in the set was good as well. it showed that it was dark and gloomy place and not happy. i think that they could have done the knife scene ALOT better though. i thought that it was pretty cheesy and funny cuz it was so bad. i liked how it had the screen with the translations it was really helpful because if that wasn't there i would have ahd NOO idea what was going on.
Kyle Glaser Period 2
The scene that really seemed to stick with me was when Elektra's Mother and Aegisthus were finally killed and Elektra was ecstatic. Elektra was running around and waving the flag of the powerful and loved Agamemnon. The Melody was easy to follow and step wise in this section and very joyful. The harmony was in the horn while the melody was in the strings. The color was very bright and vibrant and used a lot of strings and horns to make a very vivid piece. The form was that it was a standard 4/4 piece that was moving into the jig. The rhythm was very syncopated and easy to follow. The music helped me in this piece by it shows a fun and happy piece with tension in the background because Elektra is a little crazy.
I found the opera to be very enjoyable with it being a little long in the middle and that I believed that certain thing in the piece were not needed and surprising. What were very surprising were the weird people who came out during the human sacrifice. I also thought it was weird how all the deaths in the opera were shown from the funny knife shadow to the solider fight with Orestes men. All of these elements kept me more interested in the opera and I thought the orchestra and the opera were amazing.
I really enjoyed all of Electra, it was my first Opera and it left a very good first impression on me. One of my favorite parts of Electra was when it was just Electra on the stage and she was dancing, swinging her skirt from side to side and sort of swaying back and forth. I enjoyed that scene mostly because of the lights, and how they were affected by Electra’s mood and how Electra used motions to show her emotions instead of just relying on the lights or the tone and words of the song. I also liked Electra and the other characters use of the whole stage; I didn’t expect them to move around so much.
The best part of Electra, for me, was the lighting. I loved how it changed depending on the scene; it was like it changed the whole stage. The worst part was having to read the translation and then look back at the stage to see what was actually happening, I missed a couple of the scenes that the rest of the audience was laughing at because of that.
I’m really glad we went over the story of Electra and how the characters were related because if we hadn’t I would have been totally lost. I brought my friend who isn’t in humanities to Electra and during the Opera I had to explain things to her because she didn’t understand what was going on. Over all I really liked Electra and if I can I want to see it again someday.
Selena Swaim, per. 2
In the opening scene the maids created a more stepwise melody that was almost as evil and creepy sounding as their hatred for Elektra. The harmony was created by the other maids and the sounds of swatting flies. A fast rhythm when they are scolding another maid for praising Elektra added to the understanding that Elektra has gone crazy. I thought that the color in this scene really helped understand what was going on. For example, they used an instrument that actually sounded like a fly swatter every time the maid tried to swat one. All the elements in their form helped show the maid's emotions. Before, when we had only read through the opera, this scene confused me. I didn't understand what they were talking about or what was going on, it just seemed like words bunched together.
I felt very prepared for going to see the opera. Before I thought that if I hadn't previously read the story, I would never follow what was going on. I was surprised to see that by actually reading the English translation, the story was pretty straight forward and simple. I didn't particularly like Elektra's singing, not saying that I could do any of that. I just thought it was raspy and almost ugly at points. But, I was impressed to find out that all of this was done with no microphones. Costumes were exactly how I expected them to be, with Elektra draped in slave-like clothes and Klytamnestra with a crown and cape on. One part with the lighting that I liked was when Elektra was alone, singing about her father and how she will avenge him. As she builds up to how she plans to murder Klytamnestra and Aegisth, red fills the stage. When Chrysothemis walks in and tells Elektra that avenging her father is a bad idea, the stage fades to blue. I thought it was a great director's choice to help add to the overall emotion of the characters.
Andrew Song Period 6
When I first went to the opera house I did not know what to expect, but when the opera started i was mesmerized by the lighting and music. The very beginning of the opera, when the housemaids are talking about Elektra like she was a wild cat was very easy to understand. The harmony and melody sounds very busy, like chatter, and the music made it very easy to understand. Also when Elektra is singing about how she was going to avenge her father, the lighting was very well done. As the music reached its crescendo the lights were changing from a dark purple to a deep red, and i thought that was awesome.
Bergen Anderson per. 2
The scene in elektra where Orestes enters stuck out to me the most. He is completely covered in a dark cloak which made him very ominous. The music matched this. The color of the music was very dark which went along with the overall form that fit with the rest of the performance. This matched the melody and rhythm that was slow and creepy. To make the scene even scarier his shadow that appeared on the opposite wall was huge.
There was also another scene where blood was being discussed and the whole set shone with red lighting. I think that the lighting technicians did an excellent job with this performance because the lighting always captured the mood in the opera. Overall I enjoyed the performance and did see a coralation to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, especially with the shadowed knife coming down over and over again in the background.
Kenny Exelby Period 4
I thought that overall Elektra was pretty impressive. I had never been to an opera before and this was a great first experience. However, there would have been no way I would have known what was going on if we hadn't gone over the story in class first because it was confusing at times. The words at the top were a great thing to have because you could follow along and really be immersed in the story. My favorite scene was when Elektra realizes that the hooded man was really her brother, Orestes. When she didn't know who he was the light was dark and foreboding as well as the music, however when he finally took off his hood, the whole stage lit up in blinding light, the music was blaring, and all the elements were brought together in a simultaneous triumphant explosion. it was very impressive overall and I really look forward to my next opera experience.
Jinny Kim P.4
Elektra that we saw on Wednesday was very impressive and interesting, because I saw Opera two times in my life (Now is three times), but this performed was very different than other two opera that I seen before. It was more powerful and impressive.
The one scene that was most impressive was when Elektra met Orest. It was dark colors of background with one point of light (From Orest's back) So I thought it represents hope. Music was some kinds sad but happy. I mean when Elektra met Orest, Elektra did not know he was Orest but after she knew he was Orest, she was happy but both their minds are sad because their father is died.
I also liked after end of the play. When I went to Opera before, the ending was just all the characters came out but this one was when curtain was up and down, the chracters were standing there and represents who were they. I just liked it. My favorite singer was Elektra's sister, her voice was clear and soft but powerful. I also surprised that singers sing when they are dancing, standing, siting.
Ryan De La Riva
Period-2
I thought that Elektra was interesting, because before that night I had never been to an opera. I thought that the scene when the sacrifice was taking place was a good scene that used the five elements of music well to help me understand it. The melody of the scene seemed to go well with the emotion of what the characters appeared to be going through. Also the way the rhythm was it showed me the seriousness of the scene and its importance of that scene to some of the characters. My overall impression of the production was good for my first opera, but it did get confusing in some parts because of the language. I also thought that the lighting they used on the set was done really well it really helped me figure out where the characters were and the emotion of the scene
Montana Ferris / Period 2
Despite the continuous anger involved in Elektra, I found the performance to be a good introduction to opera. The scene that stood out the most to me was when the soldiers made their first appearance and lit the torches lining the walkway. The melody and harmony both increased to a faster pace to create a feeling of chaos and disorder, leaving you wondering what will happen next. This shift in music seemed to show a display of power. Also, the mood was very colorful and seemed to be created through the particular usage of instruments and lighting. The form, or structure of the piece, seemed to become more upbeat as well as the flow and rhythm. I felt better prepared for the opera knowing the five elements of music and after further studying the actual story of Elektra. I personally liked the director added elements, mainly the end fight scene. I felt that it made Elektra end with a bang.
Dan Reisz, Period 6
Having the showing of Elektra as my first opera experience was great. I really was wondering how much I would appreciate my first opera and think that Elektra was a perfect first for me. because Elektra is based on Greek Myth that was the first part that really hooked me on this opera, because I love ancient greece and the types of stories to come from there. The opera lived up to my expectations and I thought that all the people involved did a great job, especially the girl who play Elektra, what a beautiful voice with great longevity. I thought that the band played very well and it went great with the voices casted for their parts. My favorite part of the opera was the lighting effects and the background setting and costumes, I thought they were all really good and better than I myself Imagined in my head.
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this opera because it was my first one, but overall I was very impressed. The performers are all so talented and I think they did a great job. The lighting definitely helped to emphasize the mood of the scene as well as the music. I agree with Stephanie and Andy with the fact that the knife scene was pretty cheesy and could have been more effective had it been done in another way. I thought Elektra's dance at the end was very interesting, I don't think I've seen that kind of dancing before. The only thing I didn't like about the opera was that it was difficult to go back and forth between the translation screen and what was going on onstage. I liked the use of fire and the costumes were a great addition as well.
Kayla Aldridge
Period 6
The opera Elektra wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I had always thought Operas were just extremely boring however this one wasn't at all. I really liked the set and how they only had one but were able to change so much by the lighting, music and characters. There were many different instruments that with the singing flowed together very well. The screen with the english translations was extremely helpful in understanding and keeping up with the story line. My favorite scene was when Elektra met her brother again, the music and rhythm this scene fit perfectly with the mood and movements of the characters. I also really enjoyed the scene when Elektra dances her jig and how in this scene the music and mood of her flows with her dance. All over the Opera was very enjoyable and I'm excited to see the next performance!
Sam Bellefeuille P-6
My experience at the Opera was better than i thought it would be. I went into it thinking that i was going to fall asleep but it was serprisingly enjoyable. My favorite scene was when Elektra was getting ready to kill her mother and then a misterious figure came into the scene, she had no idea it was her brother and the music and costumes really added to the affect. After she found out it was her brother the set became lighter and the music was more happy. Altogether, every scene of the Opera had its own unique vibes of characters and music. It was very helpful to have the screen of english showing just in case i got lost i could look up and see where we were. I am now looking forward to the next outing!
Stuart Dransfield period 4
I thought Electra was generally a very good performance. One thing that I really didn’t like was the translation at the top of the stage; you couldn’t really watch both the screen and the play at the same time. On the other hand the set was really cool, it must have taken a long time to make that castle.
In the scene where Electra meets her brother the melody of the music changes to shock. The harmony goes from somewhat upbeat to surprise. Lighting on stage changes from normal all around lights to one extremely bright blue light. Form of the characters was interesting because right when Orest took off his robe everything on stage changed. The rhythm of the play changed from upbeat to dark and everything in between. I even saw some humor in the play, which I thought was funny because is supposed to be a tragedy.
Erika Hodges per. 2
I enjoyed watching Elektra a lot even though it was in german. The thing I noticed with melody was that whenever Orest was present everything was soft and focused on what he was singing. The lighting really helped me see the color and understand the feelings being sung even if I wasn't reading the text. Everything flowed well and the acting wasn't great but it did match up with everything being sung. The rythm was shown in a way with how the actors interacted with eachother and they each brought their own piece to the music. It was really interesting to be a part of.
Karin Ochsner Period 4
Elektra was a very good opera and the first opera i have ever seen. I believe that the music really made the story come alive. The 5 elements told you what was going to happen next and the type of emotion that filled the scene with the fast or slow tempo. My favorite part of the play was definitely the part when elektra meets her brother. I liked how he covered himself so for the longest time you were confused as to who he was. Overall i loved the lighting they used. it really made a difference throughout the whole play.
Matt MacDougall
per 4
I thought that this opera was very well put together. In saying this i mean that the form was very good. the way that the diractor syncronized the music, lights, and movements together very well. I also thought the the costumes were made very well. The way they dressed elektra was very believeable that she was going crazy as well as the mother, that she was a snob almost and stuck up. over all i really enjoyed the opera
Spencer Asavadejkajorn
Period 4
Elektra was the first opera i had been to besides when i was too young to remember. I thought it was a very good production. everyone (including the actors, musicians, and techies) had great timing giving the opera very nice form. One thing I distinctly remember was in one scene elektra jumped into the air and right when she hit the ground the music shot up into a craze and the lights changed instantly. I also liked the noises they made for the parts when something was being beaten or the scratching noise of the cat. the lighting of the stage added a great effect to the scenes as well. The costumes were very interesting. i especially liked the guy who had at least a million tassle like things flying around everywhere. The window in the wall added humor to it. Watching the people chase eachother through that window was very amusing.
Kaiti Staup Period 4
As a whole Elektra was an amazing production, but I think I may have had gone into it with some unrealistic expectations. From the prior descriptions I thought that it was going to be a lot darker and harder hitting. In a way I wanted something that was disturbing and unsettling. I thought that the first hour of the performance that explained Elektra's position could have been either much shorter or a lot more entertaining. Once the story turned to the return of Orest I was much more engaged. I knew that the very passionate ending was coming up and I couldn't wait to see this productions interpretation of it. And unfortunately, it didnt live up to my expectations. It was rhythmic and in sync, but i wanted it to be raw and uncontrolled. I wanted to feel like I was watching a mental break down, and instead it was contrived and choreographed.
Again, I enjoyed the overall performance, and I'm glad that we got to see such an impressive opera to start out our year
Trisha Hancock
Period 2
Elektra was the first opera I went to. It was better then I thought it would be. I enjoyed the set, and the lighting they did, it looked different from what I imagined. Elektra's dance at the end was totally different then i expected, i thought it would be more crazy. The scene when Orest comes and is talking to Elektra the music really helped set the mood, and so did the lighting. It helped me get the feeling of what was going on, and helped me understand it more. It was sort of hard for me to read the translation, and watch what was going on, so the music, and lighting helped me know what the feeling was when i wasn't reading the text. Overall it was better then i thought it would be, there was a lot of good parts to it, there was some funny parts to it as well. The knife scene was funny at first, but then they dragged it on for a while, and that made it less funny.
Brendan Cox Period 2
Since Elektra was my first opera, it made a big impression on me. I thought that the opening scene was pretty wild with the maids yelling at eachother then scattering. I thought the singing was pretty good and I admire the actors for their contributions to the performance. The scene where Orest comes back and tells Elektra who he is was pretty crazy too. The music changes suddenly and even the lighting gets different. I think this scene contributed alot towards my overall feelings of this opera. The lighting was really cool to watcha nd the set had amazing detail. The auto torches on the walls were pretty cool also. The end in my opinion wasn't the best but then again I'm not a great opera writer so I probably wouldnt know.
bryttany enge, period 6
Unfortunately, on the night of Elektra, I forgot my glasses. Thus there were only a couple aspects of Elektra that caught my attention. On of these aspects includes the lighting and the different colors of lighting that splattered over the stage. Theses colors were most impressive in my opinion. I enjoyed the different color changes as the mood of the music changed. For example, the scene when Clytemnestra takes the stage with her two advisors and her witch doctor. The mood of the music seemed eerie-like and almost devilish; the colors seemed to match this mood washing the stage in green and red. Another example when the lighting caught my attention was when the stage took on a soft blue color. This was the scene when Elektra and Orestes reunite. The music was soothing and sweet as well as the soft blue that lighted the stage.
Another aspect of Elektra that caught my attention was the music. I enjoyed how the music took peculiar twists and turns in order to tell a story. Most story music seems to be drawn out. However, the music in Elektra seemed to jump around, to skip, putting bits and pieces here and there to describe the mood of the person or to enhance the sound of a particular moment or happening. For example the symbol crashes during the fighting scene, or the fly swatting noises made by the drums.
Overall, the opera was very entertaining. I enjoyed the singing more than I thought I would. Elektra’s sister, Chrysothemis, I thought had the best voice in the opera. It was sweet and very beautiful. This surprised me because I imagined operas to be more boisterous and just plain loud and overwhelming. Thus, I enjoyed my first opera experience.
Sam Franklin per 6
The one scene that really stuck in my mind was the scene where Elektra asks her sister to help her kill their mother. Elektra's singing was lower and the tone was chaotic where as her sister sang more evenly and melodically. The color of the music when Elektra sang was confused and evil but then when her sister sang the color seemed more pure and peaceful. I really like the way they used greens, reds, blues, and purples, in different scenes to give the audience different feelings about the scene, the way they used rotating GOBOs in to create a feeling of confusion and activity was also interesting. I feel that more could have been done with the costumes, especially on Elektra; she didn’t look like she had been living in a courtyard for years. But overall this was a very impressive first opera for me and I really enjoyed it. The one other thing that bothered me was the final fight scene, I felt that it didn’t really fit with the rest of the performance and was unnecessary; however it did provide an exciting end to the show.
Gabe Gonzalez Period 2
The idea of a strange, dark sounding opera was not appealing to before we saw Elektra, however it was all the unusual effects and music that caught my attention on Wednesday. My favorite scene was the one in which Orestes revealed himself to his sister, Elektra, where the rhythm of the music slows down to create a feeling of suspense. The melody and harmony play along very well with this, as they sound tense, and made the listener feel almost unsure if it was leading to something good or bad. The color, as it was with most of the play was dark, however it was not as dark as many other scenes had been. I thought it was amazing how this opera differed from the traditional way most people might think of music. It was not flowing or mellow, rather it was dark and tense and featured unusual notes and melodies. The set matched the music perfectly, as it was very foreboding and spooky looking, and the lighting added an even greater emphasis on this effect.
Joel Maltos
Period 4
Elektra was definatly money. This was my first time attending an opera and it was a very entertaining production. I don't exactly remember a specific scene that blew me out of the water, but i did enjoy the scene where all the women were cleaning and singing about how crazy Elektra is. That specific scene is a good example of the 5 parts of music, especially consisting of melody and harmony.
Overall the opera blew me away. I never could imagine someone having that powerful of a voice and to keep their voices so strong throughout the whole opera is absolutely amazing. Also, the way people moved around the stage while singing and acting! that's pretty legit schindler. pretty legit. I am very excited to go to the other operas this year.
Chanelle Herrera
per.4
I will be completely honest and say that I was not impressed by the opera and I did not enjoy it much at all. I have seen three different operas now and this has been the least enjoyable. I thought that there were several thigns that could have been better or could have been made more clear.
Like for example, the animal being sacrificied. I didnt even know it was an animal until after the opera when I asked somebody because I was confused and the people sitting next to me were confused on that as well.
However, I thought the lighting was good and the orchestra did very good. I like how the orchesta made the sounds like the fly swatter for one example. It definately caught my attention and kept it. And I like hoe the lights would get all dramatic and would change. I thought that the singing was really good too but at parts it got kind of boring and seemed to just go on and on.
Andrew Pilgrim Period 4
I noticed that Elektra was extremely diverse in its color first and moremost. Not only was there a huge variety in the intruments that were used but there was a variation in how they were played. The scenes when there was a cat scratching sound or the sound of flies being swatted were very distinct and added a lot to the opera's color. The form and melody were jarring for the most part, but some intances like the loving family motif were very peaceful, especially in contrast with the other ninety percent of the opera. I thought that the singing of all the actors was amazing and I was impressed with how they told the whole story with just one set. This was my second opera but it is certainly in a class of its own because it is so unique in its color, form, and melody especially. I learned a lot from seeing the opera and I thought they did an amazing job at the dress rehersal.
Jamae Coonts
period 6
the scene i chose to talk about is when Elektra's mom comes out of her house to talk to Elektra. In the begining of that part, her mom is standing ontop of the stairs and shouting at her. But then she comes down the stairs and when she does that it seemed to me like she was getting at a more personal level with her daughter and actually talking with her and not shouting at her.
I also liked the lighting. Since the backdrop/stage set up was the same the whole time, using lights seemed to change the backdrop everytime the lights changed. It also changed the mood, which made the context of whatthey were saying come to life.
In the end i liked the Operah. The only thing that would keep me from seeign more in the future is the fact that they are always singing, and that its in a different language.
Mike smolkowski
Period 4
I personally thought that Elektra was really good. At first i thought that it was going to be alright but once i got there and started wacthing and listening, my opion changed. With all the differnt people singing, lighting and the cool set made it a great opera. One scene I thought was good was when Orest walked in and electra didn't know it was him.when Electra was singing, there was the high pitched minor key instruments, and when Orest was singing there were the low bass indtruments.Which knowing that i knew that whichever music was playing, who was going to be singing. I thought that the lighting was really cool because of how the set ad a curved background and there was actual fire to help the lighting. Also the window set in with fire behind it helped the lghting effects a lot.
Phillip Foshee
period 6
My first reaction to the opera Electra when it started was wow. It was really shocking to me how dark and gloomy this performance was. Im some ways the darkness of this piece made it unique in its own way. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time during this performance waiting for what was next. For me it was really hard to follow the music. I understood that when the music went up and down that the mood of the play was changing and helped me understand the important parts. It was hard to understand the words that they were singing so having the reader board up above the stage really helped me with my understanding of the piece. Throughout the entire performance the movement and body language of Electra was very unique. It was almost like you could undertand what she was trying to say buy the expressions she used. This performance was energetic and unique and i am really looking forward to the next performance.
Alex Garcia
Period 6
I enjoyed the opera. It was a new experience for me and I took a lot away from it. One scene in particular that i was able to learn a lot from was the scene where orestes returns and is reunited with Elektra. The Music was a major part of this scene and it was easy to see and hear the theory Seneca taught us regarding music consisting of 5 elements and how it is used to alter the setting and mood of a scene. First of all, the music started of slow while Elektra and Orestes were unaware of their relations, but as soon as they realized that they were siblings the music gained excitement and seemed to bring out the happiness between the two of them. The harmony at the beginning of the scene seemed a little off but as soon as they became acquainted the harmony seemed to fit. The rythm was almost directly related to the harmony and shared similar patterns. The color of the music could literally be seen on stage which i found very interesting. The scene started off dark and unknown as did the music, but with the gaining of knowledge the setting became lighter as did the lights on stage and the "color" or noticable mood in the music.
I found that the costumes used in the play were perfect for each character. Elektras Mother's outfit was a little unexpected at first with the headress and everything but as i began to "know" the character i felt like her clothing fit her perfectly. Also, the lighting used throughout the play was incredible. As the colors changed on stage the room literally appearred as a completely different room. The lighting had the ability to change the way you felt about what was going on during the opera. I was amazed to hear the performers voices from the last row in the house and how they could project their voices so far and still maintain the clearness of the words they sang. I look forward to future operas to see how they are put together and to compare them to Elektra.
Christin Thrane, Period 4
Personally, I wasn’t too impressed by the opera. I do think the lighting helped set the mood that they wanted to create, but at the same time I think they could have done a better job on showing who was in focus at the time. For example in the opening scene, where the lighting was dark and blue, it almost created an surreal atmosphere.
At times I found it confusing who the different characters were supposed to be. I think they could have done a better job on making that clear, which they could have done through costumes.
On the other hand, the singers did a really good job. I was impressed by the part of Elektra. I think she made the history of the opera more believable and you could really understand that she wasn’t completely sane. That also made it more understandable why she did the things she did.
I appreciated that the opera was texted and it helped getting a better view of what was going on, but it seamed that some of the translation could have been done differently to get the same feeling that the writers intended it to give.
Megan Housekeeper
Period 6
I ended up really enjoying "Electra" probably because it was such an odd convoluted story, and ended up being an interesting production. A particular scene that struck me was the scene where Clytomnestra was first introduced as a character, and is brought in by an entourage of strange characters and singing about her dreams, with the action of a sacrifice in the front of the stage. First of all I think that having the woman on stage as a sacrifice during this scene was an interesting addition made by the director, I thought that it showed how much of this family really is just a blood bath of murders. The music was dark yet had a lot of movement, with strings, low instruments (brass), and drums. The heavy drum beats (timpani I would assume) added to the dark presence that Clytomnestra had, and alluded to her emotion at the time, nervous and upset about her dream where Agememnon is avenged. The music followed most of the movement on stage, which was very fast paced, with a pulsing, almost rushed feel. As she entered there was a very gradual crescendo building up the anticipation.
Though I did really enjoy the opera, there were some things I disliked. I think that their were some times that it appeared as kitschy or corny (the stabbing shadow), that wasn't very cohesive with the darker more ominous feel of the rest of the opera. But the sets were perfect for the opera, and lighting was used to almost create entire new sets which was fascinating.
Brendan Connor
Per.6
Let me just say this first: I find all Greek tragedies to be somewhat corny. They use the same themes over and over. There is always a family member killing another family member for some riotous reason or another. There is always incest. And there is ALWAYS the family member that was just announced as dead and, wow, he/she turns up disguised as another person!
Elektra did not fail to disappoint in that aspect. I thought that Orestes gave a great performance, and I loved the morbid atmosphere. I hated the knife. You know the one. And some of the scenes (ok, all of them) were too drawn out.
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