Friedrich, Götz (1930–2000)

German opera producer. He assisted Felsenstein at the Komische Oper, Berlin, and produced Così fan tutte/Thus Do All Women in Weimar in 1958; he was the director of production in 1968. He worked in Hamburg from 1973, and with the Deutsche Oper Berlin from 1980. Starting with his Tannhäuser at Bayreuth in 1972, and continuing with Der Ring des Nibelungen/The Ring of the Nibelung at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 1974–76, his productions have been seen as reflecting his Marxist beliefs. He is married to the soprano Karan Armstrong (1941– ), and with her has worked on the British first performance of the three-act version of Berg's Lulu (at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1981), and Korngold's Die tote Stadt/Dead City (at the Vienna Staatsoper, in 1985). His staging of Der Ring des Nibelungen 1984–85 was partly realized at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1989–91. His US stagings include Wozzeck (in Houston, in 1982), and Otello and Káta Kabanová (both at Los Angeles, in 1986 and 1988).