This is the 6th instalment of PentaTone’s successful Wagner Edition. It is the first time in the recording history that a label records all major Wagner opera’s with the same orchestra, choir and conductor. This makes the PentaTone Wagner Edition a great collector’s item. After this release follows Der Ring des Nibelungen. The 4 opera’s of the “The Ring” will all be released in the course of 2013, The WAGNER YEAR (Celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth in 1813)

All operas are recorded live in the Philharmonie in Berlin. The first five recordings were awarded with “Editor’s Choice” (Gramophone), Recording of the Month and Opera Choice of the Month (BBC Music Magazine), CD of the week (Sunday Times).

Based on the reviews of the concert we expect high scores for the Tannhäuser recording as well.

“Janowski keeps the score, which has some longueurs, moving and builds up impressive climaxes in each act...Prudenskaya, though her enunciation is vague, is adequately sexy...Stemme sound[s] too heroic for the part...but she makes an impression. All told I would say that this is the best recording since that made in Bayreuth in 1962.” BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

“Janowski's casting aims at getting an audible distinction between each voice...Both women have the measure of their words...while Robert Dean Smith - apparently a late substitute - continues to develop with a passionate assault on the fiendish title-role. Swift tempi and light orchestral/choral textures...complete a potentially exciting live performance...but the lack of understood drama behind Janowski's conducting gets in the way.” GRAMOPHONE