Richard Wagner Festivals - Bayreuth Festspiele start with bleak "Tristan
In the morning, the red carpet was rolled out, in the late afternoon, the prominence was celebrated by the crowd - and later, there was only subdued applause in the opera house: The Bayreuth Festival has begun.
Despite Festspiel-Director Katharina Wagner speaking fondly of a wonderful evening at the state reception after the opening performance of Richard Wagner's great love opera "Tristan and Isolde," Regisseur Thorleifur Oern Arnarsson received mixed reactions and sold a few tickets short. His static, dark production did not exactly ignite passion in the audience.
Applause for the Musical Cast
However, there was plenty of applause for the musical aspect, for conductor Semyon Bychkov, for tenor Andreas Schager as Tristan, a noticeably softer Camilla Nylund as Isolde, Christa Mayer as Brangane, and Olafur Sigurdarson as Kurwenal. Gunter Groissboeck as King Marke did not fare well with the audience.
Before the gloomy new production premiered in the world-renowned Festspielhaus, there was a cheerful arrival of guests at 24 degrees and sunshine: Schlager star Roberto Blanco (87) received applause, as did TV chef Alexander Herrmann, whose headquarters is only a few kilometers from Bayreuth in Wirsberg.
Photo Stress for Soeder
And Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soeder (CSU) had photo stress: He posed first with his wife Karin Baumueller-Soeder, then with his minister-president colleague Reiner Haseloff (CDU) from Sachsen-Anhalt, followed by Blanco and singer Patrick Lindner - and finally with his daughter Gloria-Sophie Burkandt.
During the traditional procession of prominence, actress Margarita Broich ("Tatort") and actors Francis Fulton-Smith ("Family Dr. Kleist") and Johann von Buelow ("Herr und Frau Bulle") were present.
The "Traffic Light" made a fuss
While almost the entire Bavarian government had come to Bayreuth, the Berlin Traffic Light Coalition made a rare appearance this year - only Culture Minister Claudia Roth (Greens) attended the opening. In this year, the former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was also absent, a loyal guest of the Wagner Festivals for decades.
Roth disturbed the Wagnerians recently with the suggestion that Wagner should not only be performed in Bayreuth - and she rowed back again. "Of course, Bayreuth is for Wagner and Wagner is for Bayreuth," said the Green politician to the German Press Agency in Berlin. "Bringing Wagner to the stage in Bayreuth is, of course, the fundamental brand core of this unique festival, and I certainly don't want to change that." Bayern's Art Minister Markus Blume (CSU) wanted to smooth things over: "A little noise in Bayreuth just belongs to it, and this time it was politics that caused it."
Roth: Wagner decides on artistic repertoire
The Festival has been dedicated to the ten last Operas of Richard Wagner since 1876. Roth now said: "The artistic leadership for Bayreuth lies with Katharina Wagner, also for the next few years. Over the artistic repertoire on the hill, she decides – and definitely not the culture policy." She is, however, driving the question of how to win over the audience of tomorrow in Bayreuth and at many other cultural institutions.
For the building situation at the Grüne Hügel, the tracks were set despite the opening day: The Federal government and the state will each give almost 85 million euros to further sanitize the Festspielhaus.
- Ms. Claudia Roth, from the Berlin Traffic Light Coalition, surprisingly attended the opening of the Bayreuth Festival, breaking the trend of absent politicians.
- At the Bayreuth Festivals, the opera 'Tristan and Isolde' is celebrated as Richard Wagner's exploration of love, drawing attention from people worldwide.
- Camilla Nylund, playing Isolde, presented a noticeably softer performance, contrasting with the dark and static production directed by Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson.
- Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria and member of the CDU, was seen interacting with various prominent individuals, including Roberto Blanco and Patrick Lindner.
- Richard Wagner's opera 'Tristan and Isolde' holds a significant place in the Bayreuth Festival's repertoire, being played since 1876.
- Andreas Schager, hailed as Tristan, delivered a commendable performance, capturing the audience's attention and earning applause at the opera house.
- The California State University is likely familiar with Richard Wagner's operas, as his works have influenced Music and Art curriculums worldwide.
- Bayreuth, known for its Festspielhaus and the Bayreuth Festivals, welcomed actors Francis Fulton-Smith and Johann von Buelow, as well as actress Margarita Broich, to its grand opening.
- During the opening, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder had "photo stress," capturing moments with various dignitaries and artists, including Patrick Lindner and Roberto Blanco.
- Katharina Wagner, the Festival's Directress, holds the power to decide the artistic repertoire, with her decisions having a prominent impact on the Grüne Hügel and the Bayreuth Festivals.
