Organization

Bayreuther Festspiele

Conductor

Peter Schneider

Stage director

Werner Herzog

Set designer

Henning von Gierke

Costume designer

Singer

Tenor

Paul Frey

Lohengrin

Soprano

Eva Johansson

Elsa of Brabant

Cheryl Studer

Baritone

Ekkehard Wlaschiha

Fredrick of Telramund

Gabriele Schnaut

Ortrud

Eike Wilm Schulte

The king's herald

Clemens Bieber

First nobleman of Brabant

Helmut Pampuch

Second nobleman of Brabant

Bass

Heinz-Klaus Ecker

Fourth nobleman of Brabant

Orchestra

Bayreuther Festspielorchester

Others

Bayreuther Festspielchor

Ġermaniż

Germany

With films like "Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes", "Rescue Dawn", "Bad Lieutenant" and above all with "Fitzcarraldo" Werner Herzog (*1942), one of the leading German directors and screenwriters, moved into the front row of international filmmakers. With his ravishingly beautiful production of "Lohengrin" he made a convincing debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 1987. This production is characterized by an obsession similar to that which characterizes some of Herzog's film heroes. The protagonists (often embodied by Klaus Kinski) are mostly lonely men shrouded in mystery; Herzog found a congenial subject in Lohengrin.

With the haunting images and opulent decorations by Henning von Gierke, this production is not only intelligent, fascinating and coherent, but can also be called simply grandiose. The press unanimously praised Paul Frey's clear and gentle voice as well as Cheryl Studer's great musicianship and transparent timbre.
"Wonderfully aesthetic Bayreuth Lohengrin staging ... you couldn't resist the magic of the beautiful pictures ... The landscape pictures, which the set designer Henning von Gierke conjured up on the stage in mild and melting colors, seem like illustrations from fairy tales from the last century" (FonoForum).

Antwerp, in the Middle Ages. Count Telramund accuses Elsa of Brabant of murdering her brother. King Henry orders a divine judgment; but none of the knights present dares to fight for Elsa against Telramund in a fight to the death. A boat drawn by a swan approaches, from which a strange knight climbs. He will fight for Elsa and take her as his wife when she wins, but she must never ask him her name or origin. The Stranger defeats Telramund, but gives him his life. Telramund and his wife Ortrud have created doubts in Elsa about the origin of her future husband; on the bridal night she asks him the fateful question. Telramund rushes in to kill Lohengrin, but the knight strikes down his attacker. He reveals himself to the king: He is Lohengrin, the son of the Grail King Parsifal, and was sent here to defend Elsa. But now that his identity is known, he must leave his bride...

Lohengrin Wagner,Richard

Public

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