Tenor Piotr Beczała sings different productions of Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’ 41 hours apart

By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press

BAYREUTH, Germany (AP) — Less than 41 hours after his final bows for singing the title role of “Lohengrin” at Munich’s Bavarian State Opera, Piotr Beczała was 150 miles (241 kilometers) away at the Bayreuth Festpielhaus for a different production of the same Wagner opera.

Wagner’s roles are among the most punishing in classical music, and breaks of two or three days between performances are customary to allow for vocal recovery. Beczała earned thunderous ovations on Wednesday in Munich and Friday at Bayreuth.

“I was a little under pressure because Christian Thielemann is coming back to Bayreuth for this production,” the 58-year-old Polish tenor said, citing his desire to please the conductor. “We did it in 2018 and ’19 so, yeah, I agreed with this crazy schedule.”

Limited rehearsal time

Beczała and the cast for the revival of Yuval Sharon’s 2018 Bayreuth production arrived July 12 for four hours of blocking at a studio, then had a 7 1/2-hour final dress rehearsal the following day in the auditorium built to Wagner’s specifications.

He traveled to Munich on July 14 for a recital four days later at the 150th Munich Opera Festival followed by “Lohengrin” in Kornél Mundruczó’s 2022 staging on July 27 and 30. Beczała drove back to Bayreuth the next morning for a 3 p.m. music rehearsal with Thielemann, who led Beczała’s first Lohengrin in 2016.

There were three more performances at Bayreuth through Aug. 9.

“Having sung Lohengrin in a different production previously, he carries a mature interpretation that can adapt fluidly to different directorial visions,” Bavarian State Opera general director Serge Dorny said. “His preparation for both stagings was meticulous, and we knew that he would approach each performance with total professionalism and focus.”

Lohengrin, a mysterious knight, arrives to unite the divided people of Brabant and defend the noblewoman Elsa from the false accusation she murdered her brother. He agrees to marry her on the condition she never ask him his name or origin.

A veteran of seven productions

Beczała also has sung Lohengrin in Dresden, Vienna, New York, Paris and Zurich.

Mundruczó and Sharon, like many contemporary directors, abandoned Wagner’s 1850 stage directions that have Lohengrin arrive and depart on a boat pulled by a swan.

“He is not necessarily coming as a God-sent person,” Mundruczó said. “It’s more like someone who we are choosing, so somehow it’s one of us.”

Monika Pormale designed stark white sets for Munich that included hilly, grassy areas in the first act. Beczała nearly slipped but caught his balance in time.

Anna Axer Fijalkowska costumed Lohengrin in cream as a common man rather than medieval finery: jeans, sweatshirt and loafers.

“I go, to be honest, on airplanes more elegant than that,” Beczała said, laughing.

Anna Brunnlechner, the revival stage director, didn’t mind the compressed practice period.

“I prefer a very intense time, also with a bit of adrenaline, than a very long rehearsal time where you can talk every detail,” she said.

Bayreuth’s sets and costumes were by the married artists Neo Rauch and Rosa Loy, dominated by the color Delft Blue — even Beczała’s wig. Their Lohengrin is dressed like a 1930s electrician wearing a shirt and tie with overalls, arriving in a transformer and clutching a lightning bolt for a sword.

Sharon, in an email to assistant director Eva-Maria Abelein he shared with the AP, called the opera “the story of the decay of the angel.”

“Lohengrin is a bringer of light, and he is humble at first — he is a servant of a higher force,” he wrote. “But the idea of a year of bodily pleasure, joy, love, four seasons … He can’t resist it. And the character we see in Act II is arrogant, full of himself, and much closer to violence. In Act III, he is brutal with his new wife — because that’s what he thinks humans do.”

Beczała took over for the 2018 production premiere when Roberto Alagna withdrew 27 days before the first performance.

“Piotr is really exceptional,” Abelein said Saturday. “He took one wrong position last night and then he came off saying, ‘I’m so sorry about this.’ I said, ‘Piotr, it’s not important at all because the way he acted is important.’”

Surprise liquid refreshment

Wolfgang Schilly, another Bayreuth assistant director, provided Beczała some special assistance for this year’s opener. Beczała was thinking about “In fernem land (In a distant land),” the third-act aria when Lohengrin reveals his name to Elsa.

“I could give a thousand dollars for just a little water before the aria but there’s no space,” Beczała recalled telling him Thursday.

Schilly had a tiny hole punctured in the set wall between where oversized insect wings were pinned, then inserted a straw attached to a bottle. An appreciative Beczała was able to sip.

“I’m not so sure that Neo Rauch is happy that we make a hole in his art,” Beczała said, smiling.