Stemme quits Elektra, but look who’s jumping in
OperaThe magnificent Nina Stemme has pulled out of tonight’s Elektra at Covent Garden, ‘due to illness’.
The title role will be sung by the Lithuanian soprano Ausrine Stundyte, who was due to make her ROH debut as Tosca next month.
Not a bad changing of the guard.
Stemme evidently struggling gamely at the first night.
She was great at the dress rehearsal last Tuesday but according to some critics not at her best at the first night last Friday. That she considers she’s not well enough to sing this long difficult rôle tonight Monday is hardly a big surprise!
Not sure why your conclusion was to put “due to illness” in inverted commas even if those words might have been used by the Opera House (I haven’t seen their statement on this). Added to “quits”, you are – not for the first time! – stirring things, even if unintended.
I disagree Michael. She was plainly in trouble at the Dress last Tuesday, already by end of monologue. Pitch intermittently insecure, consonants gone by end of Klytemnrstra confrontation, noted taking every opportunity to slip off stage for a gargle or something stronger – and embarrassingly outsung by her chrysothemis. The debut of Ausrine Stundyte is welcome – she has all the power needed.
I was at the first night
N Stemme made a valiant attempt despite various problems including an injured wrist
I’m not surprised to read the news to be honest
Miss Stundyte sang the role for Pappano last year in Rome which incidentally can still be viewed on RAI play its certainly worth a view
I looked up RAI play and was staggered to find how much classical music, both concerts and operas, is available to stream, seemingly without needing a VPN. It makes the BBC IPlayer look pathetic, not to say philistine.
Another vocal upgrade – it seems – would have been Petra Lang for Karita Mattila as Lang is outstanding in her role debut for Pappano in Rome.
N Stemme is still listed as singing this eve on ROH website
I love both of them but Stemme and Mattila – on the evidence of the dress rehearsal – should not be singing these roles anymore.
That’s sadly the truth – both were really among the great artists of the last 20 years or even more what hyped Stundyte definitely isn’t – but that’s our time or ZEITGEIST
At the dress rehearsal she showed no signs of stress and took a well-applauded solo curtain call (where the spotlight was late) looking as if she was happy with everything
that doesn’t mean anything as the Brits were as usual polite and kind and she got an ovation at first night but imagine what the Viennese or the Milanese would have done though they hardly know Strauss in Milano
Not an easy decision for an artist of Stemme’s rare integrity and dedication. Wishing her a speedy recovery.
I saw Stundyte sing Tosca in Seattle years ago (ironically, just before she pulled out of the production due to illness) – she was transfixingly good.
I saw her sing Elektra in Salzburg and as Heliane in Gent. She was alright but that’s not enough – at least for an Elektra.
Last night was sensational – a worthy replacement. A total tour de force which will linger long in the memory
Good to hear. And Karita? I found it difficult to hear her. No ‘slice’ through the orchestra at all, which you need for Clytemnestra (and this opera generally).
Karita I am afraid was without voice through the middle to top of her role. Singing with a covered mezzo voce, it was virtually impossible to hear her over any of the climaxes despite valiant efforts from Papanno to subdue the orchestra. I don’t mean to be glib but I don’t think an ageing soprano can just sing a mezzo role like that. The mezzo voice is an entirely different set up, the voice has to sacrifice the top for many years in favour of developing a steely core to surge through in middle range over a thick orchestra. This shift can’t just be won overnight. She wasn’t a patch on say Felicity Palmer.
Yes I agree . And a superb actress as well. Sadly Nina Stemme seemed out of sorts at the dress last week