Performer: Elena Zhidkova

Director Tatjana Gürbaca and Czech conductor Tomáš Netopil deliver a “Romantic” Kátya Kabanová from the Grand Théâtre de Genève at Brno’s Janáček Festival.

Yesterday, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, where devotees of Richard Wagner converge annually from all over the world, opened its doors again for this year’s festival. Traditionally presented on the first evening, the new production for this season was Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg (to use the opera’s full name), presented to a capacity audience.

From stylised 16th-century dress to a 1970s sitcom ballet, Konwitschny's Staatsoper staging is full of brilliantly inventive touches, splendidly realised in this excellently sung revival. 

The passion of Alban Berg's music under Donald Runnicles fights against a disjointed production by Ole Anders Tandberg.

Anja Harteros takes a while to hit her stride in a Don Carlo that doesn't quite gel.

A musically strong revival of an austere production still leaves one feeling short-changed.