Bayreuth Festival - A fateful year on the Green Hill
2026 will be a big year for the Bayreuth Festival: 150 years of Festival history will then be celebrated in style. But 2024 may be even more important than the anniversary year. Because it is likely to be something of a fateful year on the Green Hill.
Because the contract of Festival Director Katharina Wagner expires in 2025, a new one will have to be found. And it will decide whether the federal government and Bavaria are willing and able to pay more for the opera spectacle in future. Or whether the festival, which has already had to decide on highly controversial cost-cutting measures such as reducing the size of the famous chorus in 2023, will perhaps have to make even more radical savings.
The background to this is that the Society of Friends of Bayreuth, the fourth Festival shareholder alongside the federal government, the Free State of Bavaria and the City of Bayreuth, can no longer pay as much as before due to declining donation income. As a result, the shareholder shares in the Festspiel-GmbH will probably change.
To date, 29 percent of the Festival has been funded by the federal government, 29 percent by the state and 29 percent by the private Society of Friends of Bayreuth. The City of Bayreuth holds 13 percent. Due to a drop in donations, the Friends have announced that they will be paying around one million euros less than before next year, at 2.4 million euros. The most recent federal subsidy was around 3.4 million euros.
Will the federal and state governments soon have more influence?
Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth is banking on reforms at the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth to increase the federal government's involvement. "We now have the composition of the new Bavarian state government. We will now hold talks with them," the Green politician told the German Press Agency in Berlin.
"But it is clear that to the extent that the Friends of Bayreuth can no longer provide certain services, we can assume more co-responsibility, together with Bavaria." Roth's assessment: "So far, the talks with Bavaria are going very well."
Her counterpart on the Free State side, Bavaria's Minister of Art Markus Blume (CSU), emphasizes: "Our commitment stands: We want to contribute even more financially in the future and increase our share." Blume told dpa: "I assume that the federal government will also join in and take on more responsibility alongside the Free State of Bavaria. We are pursuing the acquisition of more shareholder shares at full speed and talks are underway."
Festival director Wagner had also called for structural changes - and a professional sponsorship and marketing department. Up to now, it has mainly been the Friends of Bayreuth who have been responsible for donations. However, their influence is likely to be significantly reduced with fewer shareholder shares.
"However, this can also have advantages for the Festival," says the CSU Mayor of Bayreuth, Thomas Ebersberger, about the changes. "If the Society of Friends of Bayreuth no longer has to make the money it raises available for normal operations, it can of course also be used to support special projects and other measures, so it may even be an opportunity for the Festival if the Society of Friends can use the money more flexibly."
It is important that the structural reform is actually driven forward, emphasizes Claudia Roth. "With this structural reform, Bayreuth can and must renew itself."
Roth: Bayreuth audience should become more diverse
The Minister of State for Culture also hopes that this will provide support for the Festival's management. "Katharina Wagner would also need more support in a new structure. She wants, and has already done so, to open up the festival to new formats in order to appeal to an even broader audience," says Roth.
The politician would also like to see more diversity in the stalls of the world-famous opera festival. "Visitors to Bayreuth should also reflect the reality of our society more strongly," she demands. "There is a need to catch up."
Free State expects "excellence" on the Green Hill
Bavaria's Arts Minister Blume (CSU) expects Wagner to come up with a convincing concept for the future. "I expect excellence, a bold concept and a clear vision for the Green Hill. After all, the high expectations of the Bayreuth Festival must always be redeemed artistically," he says. "The concept should show how Bayreuth can continue to set global standards in the contemporary exploration of Richard Wagner's work. And, of course, the aim must also be to further enhance its international reputation."
Bavaria's Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) had said at the opening of the 2023 festival that he could not even imagine "Wagner without Wagner".
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- The upcoming 2026 Bayreuth Festival commemorates 150 years of festival history, but 2024 might be more crucial due to Katharina Wagner's contract expiration and potential financial changes.
- With Katharina Wagner's contract ending in 2025 and the Society of Friends of Bayreuth facing reduced donation income, the federal government and Bavaria may need to increase their financial involvement.
- Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth is pushing for reforms to enhance the federal government's influence at the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth.
- Bavaria's Minister of Art Markus Blume (CSU) agrees, expressing his intention to contribute financially and increase the state's share in future.
- Festival director Katharina Wagner calls for structural changes, including the establishment of a professional sponsorship and marketing department.
- CSU Mayor of Bayreuth Thomas Ebersberger views the changes as an opportunity for the Festival, allowing the Friends of Bayreuth to support special projects more freely.
- Claudia Roth emphasizes the importance of driving forth the structural reform and renewal of the festival, hoping to attract a more diverse audience.
- Bavaria's Arts Minister Blume expects a compelling concept from Wagner, aiming to maintain the festival's artistic excellence, global standards, and international reputation.
Source: www.stern.de
