When this gorgeous production opened audiences gasped, then heartily applauded. Otto Schenk and Günther Schneider-Siemssen magnificently invoked the world of Wagner’s opera, from Venus’s erotic lair to the world of medieval pageantry. Within this stunning setting the cast of great singing actors are truly at home. Richard Cassilly is the tortured Tannhäuser, torn between the sensual delights of Tatiana Troyanos’s enticing Venus and the pure love of Eva Marton’s radiant Elisabeth. Bernd Weikl is a truly noble Wolfram. James Levine and the superb Met orchestra, chorus, and ballet bring Wagner’s colorful score to life. Performance date: December 20, 1982.