Had Richard Wagner lived in the 20th century, he might have been one of the most brilliant filmmakers – one might think so based on his opera: Lohengrin, the mysterious knight and guardian of the Holy Grail, arrives in Antwerp disguised, in a boat drawn by a swan, to save the beautiful Elsa accused of murder. On the condition that she is never inquisitive about his identity, Lohengrin marries her. However, after their wedding, the defeated Ortrud’s manipulations fuel Elsa’s curiosity about her husband’s true identity – leading to its eventual revelation. As a result, Lohengrin returns to the temple of the Holy Grail…
Wagner’s cinematic world is not far from the OPERA’s new production of Lohengrin. In András Almási-Tóth’s staging, a setting emerges that begins in 19th-century romanticism and evokes futuristic, steampunk films, highlighting the irreconcilable contrasts between good and evil, dream and reality, and the fundamentally opposing world-views of Lohengrin and society – where emerging victorious, or even happy, is practically impossible.
The performance is not recommended for children under 16 years of age.
Authors
Composer: Richard Wagner
Librettist: Richard Wagner
Creative team
Director: András Almási-Tóth
Set and lighting designer: Sebastian Hannak
Costume designer: Krisztina Lisztopád
Movement director: Eszter Lázár
Chorus director: Gábor Csiki
Cast
Conductor: Martin Rajna
Heinrich der Vogler - Derek Welton, Péter Fried
Lohengrin - Christopher Sokolowski, Szabolcs Brickner
Elsa von Brabant - Johanni van Oostrum, Klára Kolonits
Friedrich von Telramund - Egils Siliņš, Károly Szemerédy
Ortrud - Judit Kutasi, Szilvia Rálik
The king's herald - Kostas Smoriginas, Bence Pataki
