Otto Schenk's Tannhäuser returns to the Met

Andreas Schager (Tannhäuser( and Ekaterina Gubanova (Venus)

Act 1 of Tannhäuser

Elza van den Heever (Elisabeth)

Christian Gerhaher (Wolfram)

Elza van den Heever (Elisabeth) and Christian Gerhaher (Wolfram)

By Kevin W Ng, 03 December 2023

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“it’s satisfying to hear such a large voice project into the Met auditorium with such clarion ease”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 3 December 2023

Wagner, Tannhäuser

Metropolitan Opera

Sir Donald Runnicles, Conductor

Otto Schenk, Director

Günther Schneider-Siemssen, Set Designer

Patricia Zipprodt, Costume Designer

Gil Wechsler, Lighting Designer

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus

Andreas Schager, Tannhäuser

Elza van den Heever, Elisabeth

Ekaterina Gubanova, Venus

Christian Gerhaher, Wolfram von Eschenbach

Georg Zeppenfeld, Landgraf Hermann

Tony Stevenson, Heinrich der Schreiber

Kyle van Schoonhoven, Walther von der Vogelweide

Le Bu, Biterolf

Harold Wilson, Reinmar von Zweter

Maureen McKay, Shepherd Boy

Norbert Vesak, Choreography

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Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

Innocence: Saariaho’s final opera receives New York premiere

Kurt Gottschalk, 6th April

At the Metropolitan Opera, Innocence proves a gripping and perhaps divisive piece which feels real because it is a reflection of our reality, with no realistic hope of finding peace.

*****

Tristan und Isolde at the Met: staging gets in the way of the music

No’a L. bat Miri, 9th March

Michael Spyres shines in his debut as Tristan alongside powerhouse soprano Lise Davidsen as Isolde in Yuval Sharon's new, beguiling production at the Metropolitan Opera.

***11

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

Robert Levine, 13th January

Good Butterflys are not that difficult to come by but great ones are very very rare. Ailyn Pérez fits the bill in this revival of Anthony Minghella’s classic staging.

*****

Vocal thrills in Met’s traditional staging of Bellini’s I puritani

Susan Stempleski, 31st December

Marco Armiliato conducts a finely balanced rendition of Bellini's final masterpiece with a stellar cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee.

*****

Porgy and Bess returns stronger than ever at the Met

Robert Levine, 7th December

Back to Catfish Row for another revival of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and James Robinson’s show continue to wow our writer.

*****

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Kevin W Ng

Kevin writes about music and culture, with a focus on opera. Originally trained as a violinist, he has a particular interest in 20th-century music. He is currently based in New York City.