Neuenfels’ Lohengrin at Bayreuth – 2010 / 2011: a (P)review by Michael Miller


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Klaus Florian Vogt and Annette Dasch in Lohengrin, Bayreuth 2011.

Lohengrin
Bayreuther Festspiele 2010

Andris Nelsons - Conductor
Hans Neuenfels - Stage Director
Reinhard von der Thannen - Set Design
Reinhard von der Thannen - Costume Design
Franck Evin - Lighting
Björn Verloh - Video
Henry Arnold - Dramaturg
Susanne Øglænd - Conceptional Collaborator
Eberhard Friedrich - Chorus Director

20102011
Lohengrin - Jonas Kaufmann / Klaus Florian Vogt (22.8) / Simon O'Neill (27.8)Lohengrin - Klaus Florian Vogt
Heinrich der Vogler - Georg ZeppenfeldHeinrich der Vogler - Georg Zeppenfeld
Elsa von Brabant - Annette DaschElsa von Brabant - Annette Dasch
Friedrich von Telramund - Hans-Joachim KetelsenFriedrich von Telramund - Tómas Tómasson
Ortrud - Evelyn HerlitziusOrtrud - Petra Lang
Der Heerrufer des Königs - Samuel YounDer Heerrufer des Königs - Samuel Youn
1. Edler - Stefan Heibach1. Edler - Stefan Heibach
2. Edler - Willem Van der Heyden2. Edler - Willem Van der Heyden
3. Edler - Rainer Zaun3. Edler - Rainer Zaun
4. Edler - Christian Tschelebiew4. Edler - Christian Tschelebiew

I was no less fascinated than any writer by the troops of rats Hans Neuenfels mustered for his production ofLohengrin, which premiered last year (2010). It isn't fair or even intelligent to focus on the most obvious twist in his Neuenfels' vision of Wagner's first grail opera, but Neuenfels turned the rodents loose on us as bait, and in the world of theater, it is only right to jump on it with all the alacrity of one of the rats, when he or she sniffs some appetizingly ripe garbage—or bacon, as Herr Neuenfels has said. And I don't mention this to demean the rats, Neuenfels clearly did not intend them as red herrings, but as an intellectually nutritious and tasty Vorspeise.

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