- Year of composition: 1787
- Work category: Opera
- Text author: N F Guillard, trans. A F Ristell
- Dedication: Queen Sofia Magdalena
- First performed: Drottningholmsteatern on 22 July 1787
- Arrangement/revision: Arranged by Thomas Schuback in 1991
- Duration: 88 min
- Detailed duration: 87'58 (according to Musica Sveciae MSCD 427-428)
Instrumentation
2.2.2.2 / 2.2.3.0 / timp / str
Solo voices/choir
Solo voices: Electra (soprano), Orest (baritone), Clitemnestra (soprano), Egist (baritone), Pilad (tenor), Arcas (bass), High priest (bass), Ismene (soprano), One of the people (bass), A Trojan woman, A commander (tenor)
Choir: Mixed choir
Location for score and part material
The Royal Opera, Stockholm
- Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
Description of work
• Overture: Allegro D minor 4/4
ACT 1: In a part of the city Mycenae with the Royal Palace
• First scene.
1. Marche B minor 4/4
2. Orest. C major 4/4
3. Choir. Allegro furioso E major 4/4
4. Arcas, Pilad, Orest. Recitative C major 4/4
5. Pilad, Orest, Arcas. Vivace D major 4/4
• Second scene: in the palace.
6. Electra, Pilad, Orest, Arcas. Lento C major 4/4,
Adagio E-flat major 4/4, Allegro E-flat major 4/4
• Third scene: Electra, alone
7. Electra. C major 4/4
8. Electra. Allegro con spirito D minor 4/4
9. Choir of furies. Moderato ma non troppo D minor
Electra, Allegro D minor 4/4, Electra recit. D minor 4/4
• Fourth scene: Electra, Choir of the people
10. Choir. Moderato E-flat major 4/4
11. Electra. recit. 4/4, Electra, choir. Moderato E-flat major 4/4
• Fifth scene: Ismene, Electra, choir.
10(a). Ismene. Allegro E-flat major 4/4
11. Choirr. Moderato B-flat major 4/4
12. Electra, Ismene. Recit. C major 4/4, Poco Adagio G major 3/4, Reci.: C major
13. Choir. Allegro C minor 4/4
• Sixth scene: Electra, Clitemnestra, courtiers.
14. Moderato 4/4
15. Electra, Clitemnestra. Recit. E-flat major 4/4
16. Electra, Clitemnestra. Andantino A major 2/4
17. Electra, Clitemnestra. Recit. C major 4/4, Moderato C major 4/4
18. Electra, Clitemnestra. Duet: Allegro ma non troppo B minor
19. Electra, Clitemnestra. Recit. 4/4, Allegro C major, Choir D major 4/4
ACT 2: The stage represents a vestibule in the Royal Palace
• First scene.
1. Clitemnestra, Egist. Larghetto C major 4/4, Largo ma poco con moto
F major 3/4, C major 4/4
2. Egist. Allegro con brio A major 4/4
• Second scene: Clitemnestra, Egist, courtiers, a guard.
3. Choir. Vivace D major 3/4
• Third scene: A squad of Trojan prisoners of both sexes, the previous characters.
4. A prisoner girl, choir. Andantino A major 4/4
5. Choir. Vivace D major 3/4
• Fourth scene: A commander amongst the soldiers, the previous characters.
6 Commander, Egist, C major 4/4
• Fifth scene: Arcas, Ismene, the previous characters.
7. Egist, Arcas, Clitemnestra, Ismene, choir. C major 4/4
• Sixth scene: Ismene, alone. C major 4/4
• Seventh scene: Electra, Ismene. Electra, Ismene. Allegro Moderato C major 4/4, Lento, Andante
8. Electra. Allegro E-flat major 4/4
• Eighth scene: The people arrives without order, the previous characters.
9. Choir, Electra. Poco largo C minor 4/4
10 .Choir, Electra, one of the people. Lento E-flat major 4/4
11. Electra, Ismene, choirr. Andante C minor 4/4
12. Choir. Largo di molto C minor 4/4, Poco presto E-flat major 3/4
ACT 3: The stage represents the building that surrounds Agamemnon's grave.
A forest of cypresses surrounds the stage.
• First scenee: Electra, the people.
1. Electra. A major 4/4, Choir: Moderato D major 4/4, Electra. Recit. D major 4/4, choir: Moderato A major 4/4, Electra. Recit. C major 4/4
2. Electra. Maestoso C major 4/4, Larghetto affettuoso F major 4/4
3. Choir. B-flat major 4/4, Moderato 4/4
• Second scene: Orest, Pilad, the previous characters, a slave. Electra, Orest. Allegro di molto C major 4/4, Electra, Orest, Pilad. Allegro di molto C major, Moderato C major 4/4
4. Choir. E-flat major 4/4, Orest. Andante E-flat major 4/4, recit. C major 4/4, Electra, Pilad, Orest. C major 4/4, Electra. Andante C major 4/4
5. Choir. Moderato C major 4/4
6. Electra, Orest. Andante sostenuto C major 4/4, Andante, Recit., Choir: Allegro C major 4/4 Orest, Electra. Allegro ma non troppo C major 4/4, Adagio, Tempo 1
7. Choir. Vivace F major 6/8
• Third scene: Arcas. the previous characters. F major 6/8
8. Arcas, Orest, Electra. Recit. C major 4/4, Choir: Moderato
9. Orest. Allegro con spirito D major 4/4, Lento, Un poco più lento
10. Electra, Ismene, Pilad, Arcas, choir. B minor 4/4, Allegro
• Fourth scene: Electra, Pilas, Arcas, the people.
11. Choir. Allegro non troppo D major 4/4
• Fifth scene: Electra, Arcas, Clitemnestra, Egist, offering priests, courtiers of both sexes, a guard.
12. Moderato F minor 4/4
13. High priest. Recit. grave F minor (C major) 4/4
14. Electra, High priest. Adagio E-flat major 4/4
15. Electra, High priest, choir. Moderato E-flat major 4/4
16. Egist, Electra, Clitemnestra, Orest, choir. Moderato C major 4/4, 3/4
• Sixth scene: Orest.
17. Allegro D minor 3/4, Orest. D minor 4/4, Allegro molto, Tempo 1