The performers' lip-synched acting has the riveting expressionistic character of silent film, with emphatic gestures and wide-eyed expressions (Klytämnestra reminds us of the Bride of Frankenstein), but it all works--especially as the singing is marvelous. Leonie Rysanek's Elektra is all big sound and dramatic utterance, and she has the ideal counterweight in Caterina Ligendza's shimmering, passionate Chrysothemis. Astrid Varnay ideally embodies the fearful, bile-spewing Klytämnestra, while Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's Orest is a model of burnished-toned nobility.

This proved to be Karl Böhm's last operatic project (he did not even live to see the completed film), and his powerful performance with the Vienna Philharmonic stands as a testament to his mastery of Strauss' challenging score. Video and sound quality are both excellent, and there's even a bonus disc featuring a documentary on the making of the film that shows a frail Böhm barely moving his baton while the orchestra whips up a frenzy. This Elektra is a must-have. [2/20/2006]