Against the Odds: Michael Fuller reviews a selection of recent Wagner performances recorded and made available online during the Covid pandemic

Reviews of Tristan und Isolde, directed Emge, conducted Fletzberger, Mikulov, Czech Republic, 2020 (online); Der Ring des Nibelungen (live radio perf.), conducted Jordan, Opéra Bastille, Paris, 2020; Lohengrin, directed Bieito, conducted Pintscher, Berlin Staatsoper, 2020 (online); Wesendonck Lieder (orch. Henze), conducted Lowe, Glasgow, 2021 (streamed).

July 2021, Volume 15, Number 2, 58–62.

Hermann Grampp’s reviews in the last issue of The Wagner Journal served as a welcome reminder that some public performances of Wagner took place in 2020, despite pandemic restrictions. Those unable to attend such performances in person can be thankful that a few live events – with or without an audience – have also been made available to hear or view online. In this way a new diet has been made available to supplement recordings of productions made in pre-Covid times.