These are some press comments on Strauss' "Elektra" at the Theater Freiburg, February 2007:

High time to talk about the fulminant orchestra. Under Patrik Ringborg's confident guidance, which time and again delicately prepares the ground within the bounds of possibility, the musicians of the Freiburg Philharmonic grow beyond themselves in this nerval music - that they as well enter the stage for the final applause ... is consequential. You heard an immensely rich kaleidoscope of colours. From the lyric reduction, where the chamber musical regions often were sought out, to the discharge of power; everything was offered in an uninterrupted flow and exceedingly voluptuously unfurled. Eminently beautiful were the wood winds supported by the contrabassoon. Downright culinary sounded the music where the "Rosenkavalier" already announces itself.
(Badische Zeitung, 20.02.2007)

Strauss' edgy, most expressive music won't leave anyone untouched. This is also so at the Freiburg Theater, where the new music director Patrik Ringborg with haunting impact and the finest colour shadings leads the Philharmonic Orchestra in a narrow space and there makes it tell about all the horrific things befalling the humans here: about violence, about traumas, about murders and about blood.
(Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 20.02.2007)

In this gently formed scene the staging and the musical interpretation meet as well. Because Patrik Ringborg, the conductor and interim music director, and the exquisitely disposed Philharmonic Orchestra Freiburg often prefer the lower sound levels. Thereby they do not forget, that this the most sophisticated of Strauss' operas is an image of decomposing psyches that continuously twitches and seethes.
(Stuttgarter Zeitung, 22.02.2007)

Patrik Ringborg is dimming his orchestra, which especially in the wind sections sounds refinedly, to the dusk of a ghost train, as he always in his gestures stays close to the sounding events. Thoughtful, yes slowly he savours this score of madness, with discipline sets dynamic peaks, thereby always staying considerate towards the singers, delivers almost fairy music instead of ancient tempests.
(Die Welt, 21.02.2007)

Carried by the powerful, carefully polished musical interpretation by the conductor Patrik Ringborg you hear an opera evening that attacks you. Nothing better can be said of a performance of Elektra.
(SWR 2, 19.02.2007)

An exceptionally difficult score; therefore the ecstasy as well as the differentiated sound that could be heard from the Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Patrik Ringborg must be admired.
(Südkurier, 20.02.2007)

Not often are the events on stage so intensely rooted in the orchestral music as in this opera. In this spirit Patrik Ringborg was a firmly leading and fervent director of sound in front of an orchestra acting wide-awake. Thus this "Elektra" through its convincing entity of scenic and musical performance flatly is the most exciting production, that the Freiburg Opera has so far achieved in this season.
(Offenburger Tageblatt, 21.02.2007)

At the end the Philharmonic Orchestra conjures a waltzing decadence which already makes you think of the "Rosenkavalier". Patrik Ringborg and his musicians together come on stage bringing the house down. Right so.
(morgenweb.de, 20.02.2007)
(FRIZZ das Magazin, 03.2007)

Really worth experiencing is primarily the music. The greatest esteem for the conductor Patrik Ringborg, who puts into effect this large, violent, yes on his part frenzied opera with discipline, rage and brilliant drawing in detail even with an orchestra reduced (almost without losses) to "normal" proportions. Hats off!
(Plan 14, 02.03.2007)

At the Freiburg Theater the new music director Patrik Ringborg with haunting impact and the finest colour shadings leads the Philharmonic Orchestra and there makes it tell about all the horrific things befalling the humans here.
(Schwarzwälder Bote, 20.02.2007)

That rich applause brought the entire orchestra on stage, may by no means be considered as merely a polite gesture. After all, Patrik Ringborg, the present interim music director, had not delivered a casual soundtrack from the pit, but precisely alloted dramatic impulses to a dark piece of world theater.
(Basler Zeitung, 20.02.2007)

The Philharmonic Orchestra conjures a waltzing decadence which already makes you think of the "Rosenkavalier". Before that Patrik Ringborg with his orchestra adds nuances to this "Elektra" which maybe were sligthly gone lost in Bieito's high-contrast grasp. And he was always on the spot when the action was dramatized from the pit, for instance by Agamemnon's timpani beats. The trombone chorus sounds tender at Orest's appearance, nobly do the wood winds sound at the mutual recognition of brother and sister.
(Kulturjoker, 03.2007)

... an exceedingly sensitive, unusually fragile structure.
This suits chief conductor Patrik Ringborg well. He leads the Philharmonic Orchestra from peak to peak, but controlls inebriation and ecstasy like a psychoanalyst on the podium. Strauss would have rejoiced over so much sensibility vis-à-vis his piece, "indeed so loudly composed". An evening of pleasant surprises...
(Opernwelt, 04.2007)
(Bönnigheimer Zeitung, 23.02.2007)

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