Like rats leaving a sinking Biogas Plant: Lars Cleveland pulls from Bayreuth Tannhäuser

Kerl as Tannhauser: 2008 Oper Köln

First the conductor, now   Tannhäuser  has pulled out of Sebastian Baumgarten's "controversial" production, as Lars Cleveland is replaced by Torsten Kerl

Little information is available but a statement from Festival spokesman Peter Emmerich reads: "Lars Cleveland has been released from his contract at his own request,"

As already reported, conductor Thomas Hengelbrock withdrew from the production earlier this this year to be replaced by Christian Thielemann. 

Torsten Kerl - As Tannhäuser (sans Y-fronts)