"His vocal stamina stands every test, his technique is faultless - wondrous in its phrasing - and his musicality, it goes without saying, is sensitive and high in calibre,” wrote one critic of the portrayal of Tannhäuser by Robert Dean Smith at Müpa Budapest in 2012. The American star is one of the most sought-after Wagner singers today and has performed many of the composer's most important tenor roles, appearing at the Bayreuth Festival for an unusually long time between 1997 and 2012.
This production, which brings the presentation of the composer's complete operatic works at the annual Budapest Wagner Days closer to completion, will be conducted by Sebastian Weigle, who began his career as principal horn player with the Berlin State Opera, only turning to conducting in the 1990s. He appeared at Bayreuth in five successive years, was music director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona from 2004 to 2009, and has filled the same position at the Frankfurt Opera since 2008. It was there that he conducted an exciting new production of Rienzi, which premièred exactly 175 years ago and was Wagner's first successful opera.
Set in 14th century Rome, the work cannot be regarded as one of its composer's mature works, one noted contemporary even sarcastically observing that "Rienzi is Meyerbeer's best opera”. Nevertheless, this work rich in large-scale tableaux and enjoyable passages already bears the hallmarks of later Wagner masterpieces, serving as an important step for the composer on the way to Tannhäuser. Although - despite Wagner's own reservations - the opera remained successful and was frequently performed throughout the 19th century, it has sadly only rarely been staged in the 20th century and beyond.

The Hungarian text of the opera was translated and surtitled by Máté Mesterházi with the partial use of the translation by Dr. Enikő Tankó Bánhalmi.

More information about the Budapest Wagner Days here.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest