LA Opera Opens the Exciting Love Inspired ‘Tannhäuser’

LA Opera opened the drama and romanticism of Tannhäuser this weekend in Los Angeles at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with music and libretto by Richard Wagner. Spiritual love and sensual love are explored beautifully through the music of this opera. The overture is meant to evoke spiritual feelings when we first hear this music.

Tannhäuser was previously presented in 2007 and was originally scheduled for the fall of 2020 but was postponed to the fall of 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tannhäuser had its world premiere in October 19, 1845, at the Königliches Hoftheater (Dresden).

Tannhäuser is performed in three acts, with music and text by Richard Wagner, and is based on two German legends: Tannhäuser, the German Minnesänger and poet, and the tale of the WartburgSong Contest. The story centers on redemptive love, a theme running through most of Wagner’s work.

The cast includes Issachah Savage as Tannhäuser, Sara Jakubiak as Elisabeth, Yulia Matochkina as Venus, Morris Robinson as Hermann, Lucas Meachem as Wolfram, Philip Cokorinos, Biterolf, Robert Stahley as Walther von der Vogelweide, Anthony Ciaramitaro as Heinrich der Schreiber, Patrick Blackwell as Reinmar, and Erica Petrocelli Voice of Shepherd.

The creative team includes conductor James Conlon, original production by Ian Judge, director Louisa Muller, set and costume designer Gottfried Pilz, lighting by Marcus Doshi, chorus director Grant Gershon and choreographer: Aszure Barton. The opera opens with a modern dance scene and it’s said that Wagner opted for the ballet or dance scene to come at the beginning of the opera to smize the audiences back in Paris 1800s that had the habit of showing up late to catch the ballets of traditional operas and opting to miss the entirety of the first part of the show.

Please find the act synopsis below courtesy of LA Opera and be sure to check out the run dates as well. For tickets, visit their website at laopera.com.

Act One
The opera opens in Venusberg, the home of Venus. Tannhäuser is reluctantly praising the goddess as he wants to leave her despite the fact that she has been showering him with love for some time. To Venus’ surprise, Tannhäuser requests to be free to live an earthly life. He calls on the Virgin Mary and he is cast out of Venusberg.

Tannhäuser is then in front of the castle of the Wartburg where he meets a group of pilgrims that inspire him to admire the miracles of God. Landgrave Hermann and his knights enter and there is one who recognizes Tannhäuser as a past associate and they then invite him to the castle. Wolfram von Eschenbach, tells Tannhäuser that in the past his singing attained the heart of Elisabeth, the landgrave’s niece. Tannhäuser inspired by the thought of Elisabeth’s love then joins his companions.

Act Two
In the Hall of Song in the Wartburg, Elisabeth hails the place where she first heard Tannhäuser’s voice. Wolfram reunites the happy pair, who sings God’s praises. As guests arrive, the landgrave promises Elisabeth’s hand to the winner of a contest of love songs. Wolfram delivers an idealized tribute to Elisabeth, whom he too has loved. Tannhäuser, his soul still possessed by Venus, counters with a frenzied hymn to the pleasures of worldly love. Everyone is shocked, but Elisabeth protects Tannhäuser from harm, securing her uncle’s pardon for her beloved on the condition that he make a pilgrimage to Rome to seek absolution.

Act Three
Several months later, Wolfram discovers Elisabeth at evening prayer before a shrine in the Wartburg valley. She searches among approaching pilgrims for Tannhäuser, but in vain. Broken, she prays to the Virgin to receive her soul in heaven. Wolfram, alone, asks the evening star to guide her on her way. Tannhäuser now staggers in wearily to relate that despite his abject penitence, the Pope decreed he could as soon be forgiven as the papal staff could break into flower. The desperate man calls to Venus, but she vanishes when Tannhäuser is reminded again by Wolfram of Elisabeth, whose funeral procession now nears. Tannhäuser collapses, dying, by her bier. A chorus of pilgrims enters, recounting a miracle: the Pope’s staff, which they bear forward, has blossomed.

Performance dates and times: 
October 16, 2021, at 7:30pm 
October 24, 2021, at 2pm 
October 27, 2021, at 7:30pm 
October 31, 2021, at 2pm 
November 3, 2021, at 7:30pm 
November 6, 2021, at 7:30pm 

Performed in German with English supertitles  

Estimated running time: four hours, including two intermissions 

Venue: 
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 90012) All programs, artists, and dates are subject to change.