Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle

Overview

TANNHÄUSER UND DER SÄNGERKRIEG AUF WARTBURG is a grand opera by Richard Wagner in three acts. After experiencing boundless sensuality and freedom with the fun-loving Venus (soprano), the singer Tannhäuser (Tenor) finds it impossible to conform to the cultured setting of his betrothed Elizabeth (soprano), who loves him. During a singing contest, Tannhäuser describes the affair with Venus as the ultimate love experience and because of that, he is cast out from the established society. Thanks to Elizabeth's intervention, he is allowed to undertake a pilgrimage to the Pope to ask for the Holy Father's pardon. If the Pope accepts to forgive him, he would be allowed to take back his place in society. Tannhäuser accepts. But fate will not allow him to meet with his beloved Elizabeth again in this life. This is a recording of the legendary staging by Götz Friedrich for the 1978 Bayreuth Festival conducted by Sir Colin Davis.

Keywords

Cast

Gwyneth Jones

Elisabeth / Venus

Spas Wenkoff

Tannhäuser

Bernd Weikl

Wolfram von Eschenbach

Hans Sotin

Landgraf

Robert Schunk

Walther von der Vogelweide

Franz Mazura

Biterolf

John Pickering

Heinrich der Schreiber

Heinz Feldhoff

Reinmar von Zweter

Klaus Brettschneider

Ein junger Hirt

Irene Hammann

Edelknaben