Wagner: Tannhäuser (Bayreuth 1972) Hugh Beresford and Erich Leinsdorf

The legendary Tannhäuser production by Götz Friedrich was a true scandal in 1972. Erich Leinsdorf was so outraged that left the production. Hugh Beresford sung the title role.
Landgraf Hermann - Hans Sotin
Tannhäuser - Hugh Beresford
Wolfram von Eschenbach Bernd Weikl
Walther von der Vogelweide - Harald Ek
Biterolf - Franz Mazura
Heinrich der Schreiber - Heribert Steinbach
Reinmar von Zweter - Heinz Feldhoff
Elisabeth / Venus - Dame Gwyneth Jones
Ein junger Hirt . Walter Gampert
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus
Erich Leinsdorf, conductor
Norbert Balatsch, chorus master
Live recording at Bayreuth Festspielhaus
1972
For cultural purposes, not intended copyright infringement

[@azcoyote2]

I was in the audience for this production in 1974 unfogetforge

[@willyfaes2252]

Thanks.

[@DimitrisLian]

I have this in DVD (from the 1978 performances at Bayreuth) and it's a perfection procuction! By today's standards, almost ultra-traditional. I can't imagine why it was seen as a scandal, though I had read it was deemed pro-DDR, pro-communist ( but why?...)
Great passionate, fast conducting by the elderly Leinsdorf! Unfortunately they only choose the Dresden version at Bayreuth...
Gwyneth Jones as both Venus and Elisabeth, so rare. I love her. She became the centennary Brunnhilde two years later.

[@william-michaelcostello7776]

This is the Paris version with the Venusberg Musik

[@illyaismaili6413]

Why was this production hated? It was the most traditional production at bayreuth since 1951

[@angelparsifal]

0:00 Act 1
1:00:01 Act 2
2:06:15 Act 3

[@novagerio9244]

Beresford sounds definitely better than what has come after in Bayreuth, concerning the appalling tenor-situation!
I remember reading somewhere that Pilinsky and Beresford, the Tannhäusers from 1930 and 1972 were "the worst singers who had ever appeared in the Green Hill".
Where does that leave us within the span between Wolfgang Schmidt and Stephen Gould the latest 20 years?? I remember how much crap poor Manfred Jung had to take between the "Kollo and Jerusalem-era"...

[@susannevollmer2347]

Warum war Leinsdorf außer sich? Ich kann mich nicht mehr erinnern... hier dirigiert er doch die Vorstellung?Why wa Leinsdorf so outraged? He conducted that?! The most thrilling overture I know.

[@Twentythousandlps]

Actually, Leinsdorf did the performances for that summer, but withdraw from performances for the next summer based on his disgust of the production, an early example of Regietheater. By now there are no conductors who could take such a position and be allowed to work. They have nothing to say about how the opera is presented and are there "strictly for the music", supine and whipped. According to Leinsdorf, Beresford was back for the 1973 performances, but eventually had to withdraw.

[@illyaismaili6413]

This is a traditional production though, what part of this is Regietheatre?

[@angelparsifal]

Esser suffers a lot on the Rome narration.

[@petatap]

Is it Hugh Beresford or Hermin Esser singing Tannhäuser? (I heard Esser singing Loge at Wiebaden - don't rememer his voice, though ;:)

[@angelparsifal]

It is Beresford. I answered a comment from bertrand about Esser, but who sings here is Beresford.

[@petatap]

Thank you !

[@eduardobraivein8496]

Ángel Parsifal Whatever happened to Beresford thereafter?
Did he make any commercial recordings?

[@ebbebak2415]

@@eduardobraivein8496 After the Bayreuth Beresford was a lot in different opera houses in Germany (Cologne, Hagen, Wuppertal...) There exist several live recordings with him as baritone but also as tenor. He is ok as tenor some times a bit to focused on singing the high notes to long.