Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle (1978)
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.
Director: Thomas Olofsson
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Gwyneth Jones as Elisabeth / Venus |
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Spas Wenkoff as Tannhäuser |
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Bernd Weikl as Wolfram von Eschenbach |
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Hans Sotin as Landgraf |
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Robert Schunk as Walther von der Vogelweide |
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Franz Mazura as Biterolf |
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John Pickering as Heinrich der Schreiber |
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Heinz Feldhoff as Reinmar von Zweter |
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Klaus Brettschneider as Ein junger Hirt |
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Irene Hammann as Edelknaben |
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Angelika Jung-Nowski as Edelknaben |
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Roswitha Korff-Krüger as Edelknaben |
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Natuse von Stegmann as Edelknaben |
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Colin Davis as Self - Conductor |
| Directing | Thomas Olofsson | Director |
| Art | Götz Friedrich | Production Design |
| Sound | Götz Friedrich | Music |
| Writing | Richard Wagner | Writer |
| Sound | Richard Wagner | Original Music Composer |
