Lohengrin

We saw Opera Australia’s latest production of Lohengrin in Melbourne on Tuesday 17 May 2022. Starring the tenor of the age, Jonas Kaufmann. He was magnificent. Looked pretty good to as seen here on the programme. He was a beautiful Lohengrin. His pianissimo singing was the highlight for me – you could have heard a pin drop in the fully booked auditorium when he did so.

All of the singing was first rate. We love our very own Warwick Fyffe who played the Herald and was terrific. And our other two locals, Daniel Sumegi as King Heinrich and Simon Meadows as Telramund acquitted themselves well. As did the American soprano Emily Magee as Elsa. But the other stand-out on the night was the French-Russian mezzo soprano Elena Gabouri as Ortrud. Sometimes villains can be the most compelling characters. She certainly was.

So fantastic singing. Always worth the effort and outlay to see Jonas – we’ve now seen him twice and I regret not going to Sydney to see his Parsifal.

However I hated the production! I found it completely out of synch with the libretto. Which view I found common in many of those I’ve spoken to after. Especially Wagnerians who have some knowledge of the opera. It was also reflected – though expressed in much milder terms than mine – in some of the reviews.

Here is a review, including photographs of the set and singers, from my favourite reviewer.

And another (which may have a paywall) from the arts magazine Limelight.

Apart from anything obscure productions like this make the job of those singing so much harder. When you have Elsa and Lohengrin who are meant to be in a flower strewn boudoir about to consummate their marriage – as described in what the words they are using – wandering about a stage that looks like a museum containing heads of philosophers and composers – they have to work so much harder! And the audience has to completely let go of any semblance of credulity.

And nothing contained in the programme gave any hint as to the director’s intent. If Melbourne Opera, with no government subsidy, can provide detailed notes by the wonderful Suzanne Chaundry about her productions why can’t Opera Australia?

A point made in this article by Professor Peter Tregear in The Conversation.