Composer Richard Strauss Librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal Based On the play by Sophocles Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 1953 Language German Creative/Crew Conductor Georg Solti Stage Director(s) Carlo Piccinato Chorus Director Kurt Herbert Adler Set Designer(s) Harry Horner Settings painted by Julius Dobe Cast Queen Klytemnestra Margarete Klose Aegisthus, her paramour Ludwig Suthaus Elektra, the Queen's elder daughter Inge Borkh Chrysothemis, her sister Ellen Faull Orestes, the Queen's son Paul Schoeffler Guardian of Orestes Desire Ligeti Confidant Eloise Farrell Trainbearer Ruth Roehr Young Servant Caesar Curzi Old Servant Jan Gbur Overseer of the Servants Yvonne Chauveau First Maidservant Margaret Roggero Second Maidservant June Wilkins Third Maidservant Janice Moudry Fourth Maidservant Lois Hartzell Fifth maidservant Beverly Sills Servant Rochelle Field Sophie Karras Frances Oliver Donna Petersen Lorraine Smith Sherry Stevens Show Dates Fri, Sep 25 1953, 8:15pm Wed, Sep 30 1953, 8:15pm Time and Place Antiquity; Greece Scenes Scene -- Court of the Palace Media Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Inge Borkh (Elektra), Margarete Klose (Queen Klytemhestra) Credit Unknown Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Ellen Faull (Chrysothemis) Credit Unknown Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Ludwig Suthaus (Aegisthus) Credit Unknown Document SFO_PUB_01_SFO_1953_09_compressed.pdf (8.19 MB) Notes To access the full production program, click the PDF link above. --------------------- The Company General Director Gaetano Merola died on August 20th, while conducting Butterfly's "Un bel dì" in San Francisco's Stern Grove. The entire 1953 season was labeled "Gaetano Merola, 1879-1953 -- In Memoriam." -------------------- Part II of a double bill, with the ballet "The Creatures of Prometheus"
Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Inge Borkh (Elektra), Margarete Klose (Queen Klytemhestra) Credit Unknown
Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Ellen Faull (Chrysothemis) Credit Unknown
Image Elektra, Richard Strauss. San Francisco Opera, 1953. Photographer: Unknown/San Francisco Opera. Ludwig Suthaus (Aegisthus) Credit Unknown