Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle (movie)

Name: Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle
Director: Thomas Olofsson
Released: 1978-6-10
Rating: 8
Cast: Gwyneth Jones, Spas Wenkoff, Bernd Weikl, Hans Sotin, Robert Schunk

Tannhäuser

User score: 8
Production country: Germany
Producer: Thomas Olofsson
Production companies: Deutsche Grammophon
Genre: Music, Drama
Release date: 7/10/1978
Run time: 209 min.

Movie description

TANNHÄUSER UND DER SÄNGERKRIEG AUF WARTBURG is a grand opera by Richard Wagner in three acts. After experiencing boundless sensuality and freedom with the fun-loving Venus (soprano), the singer Tannhäuser (Tenor) finds it impossible to conform to the cultured setting of his betrothed Elizabeth (soprano), who loves him. During a singing contest, Tannhäuser describes the affair with Venus as the ultimate love experience and because of that, he is cast out from the established society. Thanks to Elizabeth's intervention, he is allowed to undertake a pilgrimage to the Pope to ask for the Holy Father's pardon. If the Pope accepts to forgive him, he would be allowed to take back his place in society. Tannhäuser accepts. But fate will not allow him to meet with his beloved Elizabeth again in this life. This is a recording of the legendary staging by Götz Friedrich for the 1978 Bayreuth Festival conducted by Sir Colin Davis.