Lohengrin
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
The icing on the cake for our Wagner aficionados: Lohengrin. Opera Vlaanderen presents a new take on Wagner's stylistically most advanced romantic opera by the leading American director David Alden. The production will serve as both a high point and a glorious send-off for the genre. In Lohengrin, too, Wagner's favourite theme of redemption is at the core, but this time, the accent is on its illusory nature.
According to a legend, one day a miraculous hero arrives in the Scheldeland region, in a boat drawn by a swan. He helps to exonerate an accused man and marries a young girl. But when she asks him who he is and where he came from, he has to bid her farewell and depart again, leaving everything behind.
By situating the Lohengrin legend in a historical context – the German Empire in the 10th century – Richard Wagner was able to imbue the fairytale content with an unmistakable social dimension. The misunderstood Lohengrin, who demands unconditional love and trust, stands for the metaphysically driven artist whose 'mission' must be understood intuitively.
Director David Alden, whose is known for his virtuoso handling of choral and crowd scenes, is the ideal figure to illuminate the political and social dimensions of Wagner's opera. After his debut with Pelléas et Mélisande in 2017-2018, the Argentinian maestro Alejo Pérez will once again provide spirited musical direction. Lohengrin is a coproduction with Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London.
By situating the Lohengrin legend in a historical context – the German Empire in the 10th century – Richard Wagner was able to imbue the fairytale content with an unmistakable social dimension. The misunderstood Lohengrin, who demands unconditional love and trust, stands for the metaphysically driven artist whose 'mission' must be understood intuitively.
Director David Alden, whose is known for his virtuoso handling of choral and crowd scenes, is the ideal figure to illuminate the political and social dimensions of Wagner's opera. After his debut with Pelléas et Mélisande in 2017-2018, the Argentinian maestro Alejo Pérez will once again provide spirited musical direction. Lohengrin is a coproduction with Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London.
Coproduction with Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London
4 hours 40 minutes, incl. 2 intermissions
Free introduction 45 minutes before the start of the performance.
German with Dutch surtitles
The creators
-
Alejo Pérez
Conductor
-
David Alden
Director
Christian Voigt
Lohengrin
-
Zoran Todorovich
Lohengrin
-
Liene Kin?a
Elsa von Brabant
Jennifer Davis
Elsa von Brabant
-
Barbara Haveman
Elsa von Brabant
-
Craig Colclough
Telramund
