Bernd Weikl Movies

The Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern in Germany mounted this 2011 production of Giuseppe Verdi's three-act opera Falstaff, with a cast that includes Bernd Weikl in the title role, John Pickering as Dr. Cajus, Steffen Schantz as Fenton and Arlette Meißner as Nannetta. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Composer Richard Wagner's romantic three-act opera is performed at the National Theater Staatsoper in this 1994 production captured over the course of a three-day closed-session and directed by David Alden and featuring René Kollo and Jan-Hendrik Rootering. Music is provided by the Chorus of Bayerische Staatsoper under Chorus Master Udo Mehrpohl. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This music performance video is a production of "Arabella", with Sir George Solti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and featuring Gundula Janowitz, Bernd Weikel, Rene Kollo, and Sona Ghazarian. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

Richard Strauss' Arabella, set in Vienna during the 1860s, opens with Countess von Waldner asking a fortuneteller to help save her family from their enormous debts. The mystic assures the Countess that her daughter, Arabella will marry into extreme wealth. Soon after, a young officer named Matteo pleads with Zdenka, the Waldners' son (in fact, a girl brought up as a boy), to help him win Arabella; unbeknownst to Matteo, Zdenka secretly carries a torch for him herself. Zdenka pleads Matteo's case with her sister, but Arabella dismisses him, as she does all who have sought her hand. Meanwhile, the Count has sent a photograph of Arabella to the rich Mandryka, hoping to arrange a marriage. The rich man's nephew, who is also named Mandryka, has intercepted the letter and makes his interest in Arabella known to the Count. At a grand ball, Arabella meets her new suitor and is instantly taken with him, accepting his proposal. However, Mandryka overhears Zdenka hatching a plot to get Matteo into Arabella's bedroom and thinks the worst. In fact, Zdenka has tricked Matteo; in the darkness of the room, he believes he is seducing Arabella rather than Zdenka. Mandryka challenges Matteo to a duel, but Zdenka reveals the truth of her deception. Learning the truth, Matteo takes Zdenka as his own and Arabella and Mandryka pledge their troth. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

One of Richard Wagner's most enduring works, this bold operatic tale of a medieval knight's struggle for freedom against the gods was given a striking production by the Metropolitan Opera, and this video captures the performance for the ages. Eva Marton, Richard Cassilly, Tatiana Troyanos and Bernd Weikl lead the cast; James Levine conducts the orchestra. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Götz Friedrich staged this baroque, surrealistic and highly stylized production of Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser at the Bayreuther Festspiele in 1978. It stars Hans Sotin as Landgraf, Spas Wenkoff as Tannhäuser, and Bernd Wenkl as Wolfram von Eschenbach. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi