In December 2016, the Gran Teatre del Liceu presented a new production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra, conducted by Josep Pons. Widely regarded as one of the landmarks of twentieth-century opera, Elektra represented a major artistic challenge for both the Liceu Symphony Orchestra and the theatre’s artistic forces.
The production, directed by Patrice Chéreau, featured an outstanding international cast led by Iréne Theorin in the title role, alongside Waltraud Meier (Klytämnestra), Mikhail Petrenko (Orest), Adrianne Pieczonka (Chrysothemis) and Tom Randle (Aegisth). Originally created for the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and later presented at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Chéreau’s staging has become one of the most acclaimed interpretations of Strauss’s opera in recent decades.
With its vast orchestral forces and relentless dramatic intensity, Elektra is one of the most demanding works in the operatic repertoire. Josep Pons’s interpretation sought to highlight the score’s transparency and orchestral detail while preserving its extraordinary dramatic power, an approach that received widespread praise from critics.
These performances further consolidated Josep Pons’s artistic project at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, reaffirming his commitment to the great German operatic repertoire and to presenting internationally acclaimed productions on the Barcelona stage.