Conductor: Christian Thielemann
Production: Yuval Sharon
King Heinrich: Georg Zeppenfeld
Lohengrin: Piotr Beczala
Elsa von Brabant: Anja Harteros
Friedrich von Telramund: Tomasz Konieczny
Ortrud: Waltraud Meier
Heerrufer: Egils Silins
The complete Lohengrin from Bayreuth has been posted on YouTube. Piotr replaced Roberto Alagna in the title role, probably because Christian Thielemann had worked with him in his debut in the role in Dresden. Piotr is quite successful in this role. Lohengrin doesn't take on the Heldentenor tone seen in later Wagner. Anja Harteros is making her Bayreuth debut here. In her interview she says that Thielemann never does anything the same way twice.
At the beginning of the opera Elsa is already bound as a prisoner. You will note please that the wings some of the characters wear only appear on the ruling classes. King Heinrich has them, as do Friedrich and Ortrud, and of course Elsa. This makes them symbols of position? When the duel begins, the fighters fly up into the air, which makes the ropes defining the fighting ring irrelevant. Lohengrin steals Friedrich's wings and is awarded his own set to adorn his costume when he wins the battle.
