Lohengrin (DVD): Werner Herzog, Peter Schneider, Paul Frey, Cheryl Studer, Manfred Schenk, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Gabriele Schnaut, Eike Wilm Schulte
Stage director: Werner Herzog
Conductor: Peter Schneider
Lohengrin: Paul Frey
Elsa von Brabant: Cheryl Studer
König Heinrich: Manfred Schenk
Friedrich von Telramund: Ekkehard Wlaschiha
Ortrud: Gabriele Schnaut
Heerrufer: Eike Wilm Schulte
Vier Brabantische Edle: Clemens Bieber, Peter Maus, Robert Riener, Heinz-Klaus Ecker
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Herzog's Lohengrin on Amazon
Beautiful Lohengrin without substance by film director Werner Herzog
I must confess: This is a very beautiful Lohengrin. The sets by Henning von Gierke were obviously made to please the eye. So if beautiful sets are what you are looking for in Lohengrin, this is the DVD you should buy. The beauty on stage is matched by an equally beautiful filming. Especially the video editing with wonderful dissolves between clips enhances the aesthetics on the stage.
And yet, this is not enough.
Although this is an old-fashioned and very anti-intellectual production in the post war Bayreuth style, Richard Wagner's stage directions and other directions are just as ignored as in the modern productions. Lohengrin is dressed in a silly smock (like a woman or a rich gay guy with extremely bad taste) instead of glänzender Silberrüstung, den Helm auf dem Haupte, den Schild im Rücken, ein kleines goldnes Horn zur Seite, as Wagner ordered.
And Lohengrin's sword has the form of a snake. It may be symbolizing the female anxiety for the fallos, but is nonetheless not a satisfactory visual solution.
Cheryl Studer as Elsa is the only person in this production showing signs of human emotions. She is really wonderful. Paul Frey sings well and suits this production perfectly. His voice is firm and powerful, but I don't find much warmth and elasticity. It's "perfect", but without colour and nuances. He sings the part in the same emotionally neutral way the whole opera through. Frey is not allowed much acting in this semi oratorio style production, but from what is shown here his acting is not his strongest side.
Werner Herzog does not show any signs of being able to make singers interact on the stage. It is difficult to see Herzog's concept, if he had one.
I much prefer Peter Konwitschny's wild Classroom Lohengrin or Nikolaus Lehnhoff's Baden-Baden production (with Klaus Florian Vogt and Waltraud Meier) to Herzog's, but if you just want a sleepy walk-through this might be the best choice for you.
Recorded at the Bayreuth Festival 24 June – 1 July 1990
Deutsche Grammophon
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Werner Herzog's LOHENGRIN on Amazon