And at some point everyone takes off: "Lohengrin" at the Bayreuth Festival
Created: 08/05/2022, 13:50
By: Markus Thiel
Blue-eyed direction: scene with (from right) Klaus Florian Vogt, Martin Gantner, Petra Lang and Camilla Nylund.
© Enrico Nawrath
For the last time this summer, the Bayreuth "Lohengrin" can be seen in Neo Rauch's outfit.
The revival becomes a musical event.
A substation, everything in blue, as if thrown onto the canvas - which is no feat: in 2018, for the new production of "Lohengrin", Bayreuth afforded painter Neo Rauch as the decorator.
Sometimes, when Wagner has planned some kind of miracle again, lightning flashes or electricity rushes through the cables like white light.
There is also the complementary orange.
People with very strange wigs and insect wings stand around, waving their hands merrily at Elsa and Lohengrin's wedding.
But at some point, nobody cares anymore on this revival evening of the festival.
Because there, on this stage, the best possible cast is active.
And for four hours, Bayreuth is what everyone always dreams of: the center of the Wagner world.
One role is left out, Petra Lang, the bravely pushing Ortrud.
But otherwise you can write down everything from the first note.
If you want, you can also include the notes that Christian Thielemann lets emerge from the ditch like a chain of miraculous garlands.
More refinement in "Lohengrin" is not possible, more analysis, dramatic awareness and joy of sound.
Still undefeated swan knight: Klaus Florian Vogt
Was Klaus Florian Vogt, still undefeated Schwanenritter, the better?
He can now allow his voice to be strong, and yet there is always the level back into the magical, head voice-resonant piano.
And at some point, that's how it is in exceptional performances, the evening takes off: everyone starts to fly.
Camilla Nylund as lyrically primed Elsa, who can now flood huge rooms with her dark soprano.
Martin Gantner as a razor-sharp, text-clever Telramund.
Georg Zeppenfeld as King Heinrich, before whom not only the men have to kneel.
Or Derek Welton, who as Heerrufer lets Wotan sounds resonate (which he has already sung in Berlin).
In the Festival Choir, too, no consonant falls under the table.
The precision of Lohengrin's first appearance, perhaps the most delicate choral passage in the entire opera literature,
A giant musical leap is this evening compared to the new "Ring", which is currently being rounded out in Bayreuth.
The comparison is a bit unfair: the "Lohengrin" team had much more time to grow together.
Production will end after this summer.
Which means: initially also with Thielemann, until recently music director in Bayreuth.
He would then no longer have an opera for which he is intended in the Festspielhaus;
the next premieres go to colleagues.
The audience votes by acclamation - with rhythmic clapping and the loudest cheering of the premiere week so far.
