Among the greatest essays of the title role is sung by Astrid Varnay, conducted in a justly famous concert performance by Dimitri Mitropoulos in Carnegie Hall in December 1949. Both artists are in peak form, with Elektra holding no terrors for Varnay at this stage of her career. Varnay sings with a huge columnar sound, well-aligned from bottom to top, singing Hofmannshtal’s masterful text with clarity and precision. Varnay was also a notable Klytemnestra later in her extensive career.