(Credits: Gregor Hohenberg/Sony Music / Martina Pipprich / Jiyang Chen)

The Staatsoper unter der Linden will live stream its big premiere of Wagner’s romantic opera “Lohengrin” on Dec. 13, 2020.

Since Berlin’s opera houses are closed due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the company decided to do its utmost to save the production and instead present it virtually for audiences worldwide.

The big story in this production is the role debut of famed tenor superstar Roberto Alagna, who made headlines when he withdrew from a previously announced production of the opera at the Bayreuth Festival. This will be his first foray into the Wagnerian repertory.

The French tenor will be joined onstage by Vida Miknevičiūtė in the role of Elsa von Brabant, René Pape as Heinrich der Vogler, Martin Gantner in the role of Friedrich von Telramund, Ekaterina Gubanova as Ortrud, and Adam Kutny as Heerrufer Des Königs.

Matthias Pintscher will conduct the production by Calixto Bieito.

The live stream will be available on ARTE, ARTE TV, and Staatsoper Berlin’s official website at 10:15 p.m. CET on Dec. 13, 2020. It will also be available as VoD on Staatsoper Berlin’s official website for 30 days after the premiere.