Lyric Opera presents TANNHAUSER.
Wagner’s love debate of intellectual connection verses physical attraction opens with sensual athleticism. On a surreal set featuring a grand stage on the Lyric’s grandeur stage, Michaela Schuster (Venus) seduces Johan Botha (Tannhauser). He watches from a chair. She beckons from the stage. Reality is blurred. Venus becomes several ladies. Tannhauser becomes several men. The lustful dance commences.
During Wagner’s robust overture, Choreographer Jasmin Vardimon has her dancers move with fast-paced, synchronized chaos. The movement starts with coy flirtations as the gals and guys pair up over a long dining table. The elegance of their evening gowns and tuxes is short-lived as formality is overcome with lasciviousness. Their stripteases are these fluid clothes swaps. The mating ritual takes on a spirited whirlwind emotionality. The tireless dancers are caught up in an uncontrollable passion. The dining table now serves as a type of runway as the dancers take turns swirling it around as other dancers leap on and off of it. The spinning gets faster and faster as it moves toward the inescapable climatic conclusion. Vardimon perfectly captures an all-consuming love in her erotic spectacle. The singing hasn’t even started and I’m already loving this TANNHAUSER.
And under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis, the singing is an individual and collective sensation. Wagner’s deep, dark melodies are sung in harmonious triumphant by the principals and the chorus. Schuster and Botha share a heated duet as Tannhauser decides to leave his goddess to return to earth. Schuster showcases a range of feelings; anger, sadness, denial and even resorts to begging. Botha, on the other hand, shuts the demands down with definitive command. He is welcomed back to reality by the lovingly forgiving Amber Wagner (Elisabeth). Amber Wagner has this gentle yet solid fortitude. At one point, she is the only female on stage with a huge male chorus. Even though the singing is a foundation of rich and masculine tones, Amber Wagner’s soprano powerhouse voice rises distinctly and clearly over the sea of men. Amber Wagner is a woman to love. And the resigned Gerald Finley (Wolfram) knows it and serenades her with a soulful O du, mein holder abendstern.
In TANNHAUSER, Wagner involves a man and a goddess in a love tryst. He adds in Catholicism to ground the intellectual vs attraction love debate in rigid morality. As far as his operas go, TANNHAUSER might show Wagner’s hopeless romantic side. Our heroine loves on an unconditional level. Even though she opposes Tannhauser’s liaison with a pagan god, she still loves him so much so that she will sacrifice all for his redemption. Her act of love saves Tannhauser and ultimately disproves his theory.
There is a LOT to love about this TANNHAUSER. And it’s earned. The opera starts out hot and heavy. We are swept off our feet with the high-octane, raw-energy of the dancers. Once the physicality focus dissipates, the intellectual sparring ignites the stage in unforgettably haunting melodies. This isn’t just a fling. We don’t just fall in love with TANNHAUSER. We grow in love. And our love is sustained for the duration of the opera.
Running Time: Four hours and ten minutes includes two intermissions
At Lyric Opera’s Civic House, 20 N. Wacker
Three act opera performed in German
With projected English titles
Composed by Richard Wagner
Libretto by Richard Wagner
Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis
Directed by Tim Albery
At 6pm on Feb 14, 18, 26, March 2, 6
At 1pm on Feb 22
Buy Tickets at www.lyricopera.org
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