Photo: S. Van Rompay

Since talking to The New York Times in 2024 about wanting to move beyond her famous Queen of the Night, coloratura soprano Kathryn Lewek has been steadily adding to her repertoire following a landmark performance as the four Hoffmann heroines at the Salzburg Festival in 2024.

Later this month, Lewek takes on her most unhinged, unexpected role yet: Salome at Cincinnati Opera (for which has been documenting her role preparation on Instagram). In anticipation of what will surely be a fascinating debut, Parterre Box offers snippets from Lewek’s most recent demented undertaking, Mozart’s Elettra in Brussels in March.

Her dramatically charged performance might not have been to Parterre Box critic Nigel Wilkinson’s taste, but he did acknowledge that “one man’s mannerism is another’s expressiveness.”

Mozart: Idomeneo, “Estinto è Idomeneo?… Tutte nel cor vi sento,” “Chi mai del mio provò piacer più dolce?… Idol mio,” “Oh smania! oh furie… D’Oreste, d’Ajace”