Tannhäuser

Wagner Tannhäuser opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Nikolaus Lehnhoff at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Stars Robert Gambill, Camilla Nylund, Waltraud Meier, Stephen Milling, Roman Trekel, Marcel Reijans, Tom Fox, Andreas Hörl, Florian Hoffmann, Katherina Müller, Claudia Chmelar, Anna-Katina Tilch, Manuela Leonhartsberger, Martina König, and Reinier van der Eng. Dancers are Fabienne Boekel, Jasper Dzuki Jelen, Namiko Gahier, Carolina D'Haese, Esther Jager, Leena Keizer, Andrea Mitschke, Maroussia van der Moezel, Anna Pons Carrera, Sophy Ribrault, Lilou Robert, Satya Roosens, Shahla Tarrant, Susana Garcia Valverde, James-John van der Velden, and Pim Veulings. Philippe Jordan conducts the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Philharmonia Chor Wien (Chorus Master Walter Zeh). Sets by Raimund Bauer; costumes by Andrea Schmidt-Futterer; lighting by Duane Schuler; ballet choreography by Amir Hosseinpour and Jonathan Lunn; choir choreography by Denni Sayers; dramaturgy by Klaus Bertisch and Wolfgang Willaschek; TV direction by Patrick Buttman. Released  2009, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound.  Grade: B-

This title has good singing by Robert Gambill, Camilla Nylund, Stephen Milling, and the chorus. Conductor Philippe Jordan provides a decent reading, and the sets and lighting are interesting. The show is dragged down by odd-ball costumes and choreography, resulting in the grade of "B-." Although I have only moderate enthusiasm for this production, I must admit that the Tannhäuser music has completely taken over my brain---the only way to stop it will be to listen to some other opera twice.

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