Friday, December 7, 2012

La Scala inaugurates season with 'Lohengrin'

In this undated photo provided by Alla Scala theater press office, Jonas Kaufmann, right, who plays Lohengrin, and Anja Harteros, playing Elsa, perform during rehersals of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin at the Milan La Scala opera house, Italy. The dual bicentennial of the births of composers Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner is turning into a dueling bicentennial. La Scala general manager Stephane Lissner on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012 dismissed as "ridiculous" criticism by the Italian media because the famed Milan opera house that was once Verdi's musical home is opening the celebratory season with Wagner's "Lohengrin." No less than Italy's respected President Giorgio Napolitano entered the fray. He wrote a letter to musical director Daniel Barenboim rejecting press rumors that he was snubbing the gala season opener on Friday. (AP Photo/Monika Rittershaus, La Scala)

In this undated photo provided by Alla Scala theater press office, Jonas Kaufmann, right, who plays Lohengrin, and Anja Harteros, playing Elsa, perform during rehersals of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin at the Milan La Scala opera house, Italy. The dual bicentennial of the births of composers Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner is turning into a dueling bicentennial. La Scala general manager Stephane Lissner on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012 dismissed as "ridiculous" criticism by the Italian media because the famed Milan opera house that was once Verdi's musical home is opening the celebratory season with Wagner's "Lohengrin." No less than Italy's respected President Giorgio Napolitano entered the fray. He wrote a letter to musical director Daniel Barenboim rejecting press rumors that he was snubbing the gala season opener on Friday. (AP Photo/Monika Rittershaus, La Scala)

In this undated photo provided by Alla Scala theater press office, Jonas Kaufmann, who plays Lohengrin, performs during rehersals of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin at the Milan La Scala opera house, Italy. The dual bicentennial of the births of composers Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner is turning into a dueling bicentennial. La Scala general manager Stephane Lissner on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012 dismissed as "ridiculous" criticism by the Italian media because the famed Milan opera house that was once Verdi's musical home is opening the celebratory season with Wagner's "Lohengrin." No less than Italy's respected President Giorgio Napolitano entered the fray. He wrote a letter to musical director Daniel Barenboim rejecting press rumors that he was snubbing the gala season opener on Friday. (AP Photo/Monika Rittershaus, La Scala)

(AP) ? The famed La Scala opera house is beginning its 2012-13 season honoring the dual bicentennials of its own Giuseppe Verdi and German icon Richard Wagner, starting with the Teutonic classic "Lohengrin."

Daniel Barenboim, La Scala's music director and a Wagner aficionado, conducts the gala season opener, one of the premier events on the European cultural calendar. German bass Rene Pape appears as King Heinrich and tenor Jonas Kaufmann as Lohengrin. German soprano Anja Harteros sings the part of Elsa and Evelyn Herlitzius is Ortrud.

A preview performance for younger opera-goers Tuesday was strongly applauded. German director Claus Guth's nontraditional staging sets the tale in the Victorian era.

The opener will be broadcast live in 600 cinemas around the world, as well as on Italian state television and radio.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-07-Italy-La%20Scala/id-3da7acb610814bdab24706d3021d2cfd

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