Lohengrin

DG presents the 2016 live recording of Lohengrin at the Dresden State Opera, conducted by Christian Thielemann and starring Piotr Beczala in the title role and Anna Netrebko as Elsa. Beczala’s Lohengrin was deemed “nothing short of spine tingling” by Opera News and ON hailed Netrebko’s performance in her first Wagnerian role as “utterly at home in Wagner’s Romantic universe.”

Richard Jones's radical new production of Lohengrin was the talk of the 2009 Munich Festival. It was also a triumph for Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. Die Welt added that they "could not think of any cast more perfectly matched, so youthfully enthralling, in short: so wonderful … ". With striking costumes and designs by Ultz - and directed by Maestro Kent Nagano - it represents a bold new Lohengrin for today's world.

Hans Neuenfelss striking new production of Wagners fairytale opera gives this medieval story of doomed love and sorcery the Bayreuth treatment. As controversial as it is stimulating, this production was the talk of the 2011 Festival, and showcases a new generation of Wagnerian singing talent including soprano Annette Dasch and tenor Klaus Florian Vogt. Lohengrin is staged by the enfant terrible Hans Neuenfels, and offers a thought provoking production of brilliant visual clarity. The performance by Klaus Florian Vogt in the title role is staggering and impressive. There is beauty and purity in his voice, but in this role in particular, one truly senses something unheimlich, other-worldly, which fits superlatively both with work and production. Conductor Andris Nelsons brings out the best in the festival chorus and orchestra. It is a Lohengrin one does not easily forget and puts Bayreuth back in the vanguard of Wagner interpretation.

Richard Wagner - Lohengrin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Rundfunkchor Berlin / Marek Janowski
3xSACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 9,24 GB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Pentatone # PTC 5186 403 | Country/Year: Netherlands 2012
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Opera

"PentaTone have definitely established a winning formula for success with the ten Wagner operas they are currently recording in association with Deutschlandradio Kultur in Berlin. (…) The presentation of this set is excellent. Thankfully, it includes a well translated German/ English libretto (unlike the travesty supplied with the Bychkov version), a thought provoking essay on the opera by Steffen Georgi and full artist biographies. Though my own allegiance to the Bychkov version among recent recordings remains steadfast this Janowski account is unlikely to disappoint. It will surely be welcomed by avid Wagnerites and makes one eager for the next issue in what is proving to be a superlative series." ~sa-cd.net

Richard Wagner - Lohengrin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Rundfunkchor Berlin / Marek Janowski
3xCD | EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 843 MB | Full Artwork: 512 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Pentatone # PTC 5186 403 | Country/Year: Netherlands 2012
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Opera

"PentaTone have definitely established a winning formula for success with the ten Wagner operas they are currently recording in association with Deutschlandradio Kultur in Berlin. (…) The presentation of this set is excellent. Thankfully, it includes a well translated German/ English libretto (unlike the travesty supplied with the Bychkov version), a thought provoking essay on the opera by Steffen Georgi and full artist biographies. Though my own allegiance to the Bychkov version among recent recordings remains steadfast this Janowski account is unlikely to disappoint. It will surely be welcomed by avid Wagnerites and makes one eager for the next issue in what is proving to be a superlative series." ~sa-cd.net