Vienna blip: Beczala misses his debut

Vienna blip: Beczala misses his debut

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norman lebrecht

January 10, 2020

Piotr Beczala called in sick for his Vienna role debut as Lohengrin. There was a luxury sub for the suffering Pole, but not everyone was laughing.

Our man on the spot, Larry L. Lash reports: ‘Piotr Beczala skipped tonight’s “Lohengrin” at Wiener Staatsoper, so the audience is being treated to Klaus Florian Vogt in Andreas Homoki’s hideous production which I stormed out of at its premiere and caught a late-night screening of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” as a palate cleanser.

Vogt as Lohengrin. Photo: Vienna State Opera / Michael Pöhn

Comments

  • M McAlpine says:

    If that is the production then it looks like a good thing to miss!

  • Mustafa Kandan says:

    Yes, a ridiculous production.

  • Gustavo says:

    Wonder what Mr Luxury-Vogt made of Valery in the pit.

  • RW2013 says:

    “luxury sub”?
    Does anyone REALLY like the way he sings?

  • fantastic singer says:

    what a wonderful singer Klaus Florian is ! as well as Piotr – it was amazing to hear them both in Bayreuth last summer.

  • AngloGerman says:

    One of the worst singers currently in the repertoire. Bringing a complete disgrace to the whole Wagnerian genre.

  • David Spence says:

    Perhaps Beczala could no longer do a good job of pretending to be able to sing Lohengrin. Remember when Francisco Araiza started singing it? It was not too many years afterwards we stopped ever hearing about him.

    • Hans Winkler says:

      Don’t create any bad rumors. This is irresponsible! Piotr was sick and sang the second performance despite not having fully recovered. He was marvellous and proved that he is one of the best, if not the best tenor in his field.

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