Tony Palmer writes:
Much rubbish has been written about this film since its completion in 1983. Apparently, it is 9 hours long; 2 hours long; 5 hours long. It is none of those. It is 7 hours and 46 minutes in length precisely. It is not, and never has been, a Mini-Series, and was always intended as a single film. Apparently, it went hugely over budget; was made as a ‘tax loss’; ITV refused to show it; the producers ordered the negative burnt. Only the last is true. Fact: it cost less than £7 million. Fact: it was finished and delivered on time. Various distributors since, legal and illegal, have lied about its sales, misrepresented its contents, allowed cheap DVDs (made from poor quality VHSs) to be marketed, and ignored the wishes of those who created it.

This epic production was Richard Burton’s last major role, as well as being the only time in their long careers that Olivier, Gielgud and Richardson appeared together on screen. Vanessa Redgrave as Wagner’s chilling mistress leads an international cast including Bertolt Brecht’s son-in-law Ekkehard Schall as Liszt, Franco Nero as the Venetian police chief, Marthe Keller as Mathilde Wesendock, and László Gálffi, Hungary’s leading actor, as King Ludwig II. Keep an eye open also for William Walton, Joan Greenwood, Arthur Lowe, Gabriel Byrne, Gwyneth Jones, Andrew Cruickshank and Prunella Scales.

Photographed by multi-Oscar-winning cameraman Vittorio Storaro, with music conducted by Georg Solti, filmed in seven months throughout Europe by a crew of nineteen different nationalities, it remains the definitive account of this monstrous, but great, composer, and a film which Richard Hornak in Opera News described as “one of the most beautiful motion pictures in history”.

Sun 24 May 11:15-22:35
11:15 – Part One (Introduced by Tony Palmer) 163m + Intro
14:20 – Lunch Interval (100m) - See optional Film & Food Offer below
16:00 – Part Two 160m
18.45 – Interval (45m) - Inc. Tony Palmer Book Signing
19:30 – Part Three (inc. Q&A with Tony Palmer) 155m + 25m
22:35 – Finish

Film Tickets £25

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PLEASE NOTE:
Film & Food Tickets SOLD OUT

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Brasserie Blanc have offered a delicious choice of four mains and four desserts.
These must be selected in advance.
For those with FILM & FOOD tickets,
Simply head over to Brasserie Blanc with your ticket after 'Wagner' Part 1.

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MAINS

SUPRÊME de POULET FERMIER POÊLÉ
Pan-fried slow-grown chicken supreme, spring vegetables & morels, asparagus,
sherry cream sauce, wilted baby spinach

CONFIT de CUISSE de CANARD GRESSINGHAM
Gressingham duck leg confit, dauphinoise, braised carrot, citrus sauce, candied orange

RISOTTO aux LÉGUMES de PRINTEMPS VE
Spring vegetable risotto, wild garlic, pea velouté, asparagus, Grana, chive oil

TRUITE de RIVIÈRE POÊLÉE
Pan-fried ChalkStream trout, crushed new potatoes & almond, watercress purée

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DESSERTS

CRÈME BRÛLÉE
Creamy vanilla custard, caramelised sugar topping

RHUBARBE et CRÈME ANGLAISE V (VE WITH VEGAN CUSTARD)
Rhubarb & custard, honeycomb

PARFAIT GLACÉ à L’ESPRESSO V
Espresso parfait, Baileys anglaise, caramel, frosted cacao nibs, hazelnut & chocolate tuile

SELECTION DE GLACES V | VE WITHOUT BISCUIT
Jude’s ice cream or sorbets, three scoops & biscuit: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry Sorbet: raspberry, mango, lemon

PLEASE NOTE:
Film & Food Tickets SOLD OUT

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THE FILM'S CRITICAL RECEPTION:

Never destined to be a mass appeal film, it did receive glowing reviews from leading journals:

"Wagner can be mentioned alongside such exceptional film biographies as Gandhi, Reds and Abel Gance's Napoléon ... Wagner is one of the most beautifully photographed motion pictures in history". [Opera News]

"An absolute bulls-eye... wonderful... technically brilliant.. musically and filmically on the highest level... it will surely set out on a triumphant procession around the world". [Die Welt]

"A monumental film... a complete work of art... truly visionary..." [Der Spigel]

"A remarkable event... hardly a minute too long... a British Film of glory... takes the screen by storm... a big spirited work". [The Sunday Times]