Tannhäuser

Although it preserves David Alden's 1994 Munich National Theatre presentation of Wagner's 1845 opera about a knight torn between carnal lust (represented by the voluptuous Venus) and spiritual love (personified in the noble German maiden Elisabeth), this taped-for-TV production features strengths and drawbacks, allowing for precise camerawork and editing while sacrificing some vibrancy and sense of immediacy. What really makes this Tannhäuser an also-ran, however, is the production itself: while the Bavarian State Orchestra is excellent under the proficient conducting of Zubin Mehta, lead René Kollo—who once possessed a ringing tenor—was in his late 50s here, and his voice in the title role sounds worn and wobbly. Waltraud Meier and Nadine Secunde compensate somewhat, with excellent vocalism as Venus and Elizabeth, while the rest of the principals are at least acceptable (and often more than that), aside from the strained boy sopranos. Unfortunately, all are undone by Alden's awful staging, which turns the Venusberg, where the goddess resides, into a bizarre hall of grotesques, and Wartburg castle, where Elisabeth awaits, into an embodiment of a ruined, decrepit Germany, with a dully-costumed cast ravenously chewing the rubble-like scenery. Even the flawed 2008 Baden-Baden version (see review in VL-7/09) is preferable to this mounting, which is presented in LPCM stereo. Not recommended. (F. Swietek)