Lohengrin/ROH

This 1977 production at the ROH is suitably Teutonic, thankfully lacking those silly visuals that so often plague Wagner operas. Musically too this was a a glorious account of Lohengrin, the conductor Semyon Bychkov drawing out immaculate playing from the ROH band. Good cast, even those suffering from chest infections who held their own stunningly well in the circumstances. Johan Botha's buttery tenor was well supported by the rising star Edith Haller as Elsa while the magnificent Petra Lang snarled and sneered away as the evil Ortrud.