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Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2026 Review: Parsifal

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2026-review-parsifal/

(Photo: Bayreuther Festspiele) Was it possible for director Jay Scheib to offer a production even more unappetizing than his 2023 debut of “Parsifal,” with its much-touted AR frills? Yes it was, and it was on full display last night. This slightly rearranged version, with needless costume tweaks, ruinous visual design, and arbitrary staging, threatened even this most sublime of Richard {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2026 Review: Rienzi

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2026-review-rienzi/

The phenomenon that is super tenor Andreas Schager tore the house down on August 19 performance of Wagner’s third, and rarely performed opera Rienzi. Athletic is Schager’s signature acting style, but on this night he outdid even himself (in any of his Wagnerian incarnations, from Siegfried to Parsifal). And the fabled voice somehow lasted throughout over three-and-a-half hours of non-stop {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2026 Review: Der fliegende Holländer

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2026-review-der-fliegende-hollander/

(Photo: Enrico Nawrath) The night, replete with artistry on all sides, belonged to the Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian, who spun a brilliant column of sound throughout her fiercely emotional storytelling. Vocal pyrotechnics were amplified by Grigorian’s astonishing physical dexterity, her restless, near-gymnastic body language. Her interpretation of the role of Senta, daughter of influential villager Daland, unleashed a rebellion against {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2025: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2025-die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg/

(Photo credit: ©Enrico Nawrath) “My friend, that’s exactly the poet’s job: to make notes of his dreams – and then interpret them.” Hans Sachs, Act III A great mistake is often made in considering Wagner’s operas as complicated. Rather, they are dense, psychological investigations directly confronting archetype personages, be they gods, myths, or members of the family of man. When {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2025 Review: Lohengrin

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(© Enrico Nawrath) A well-loved conductor at the Bayreuth Festival, Christian Thielemann, who made his début on the Green Hill in 2000 overseeing a dynamic performance of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” served Bayreuth as its music director from 2015 to 2020. Therefore, it is good to see him back this year conducting “Lohengrin” which he originally took charge of in {…}

News

Wallis Giunta, Olena Tokar & Gaston Rivero Highlight Oper Leipzig’s 2019-20 Season

https://operawire.com/wallis-giunta-olena-tokar-gaston-rivero-hightlight-oper-leipzigs-2019-20-season/

Oper Leipzig has announced its 2019-20 season featuring seven new productions and a number of revivals. Find out what the company is presenting throughout its season. New Productions  Rolando Villazón directs a new production of “L’Elisir d’Amore” with Bianca Tognocchi in the role of Adina and Piotr Buszewski and Matthias Stier sharing the role of Nemorino. Jonathan Michie and Franz {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2025 Review: Tristan und Isolde

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(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) “They enter into blinding darkness those who worship chaos; into greater darkness still those who delight in shadow.” Upanishad, Verse IX Coming to Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” for the first time must always remain a unique, emotional, musical experience. It is an opera of subtle interpretations, not only regarding the music and dramatic action, but perhaps more {…}

News

Bayreuth Festival Announces New Chorus Director

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-announces-new-chorus-director/

(Credit: Courtesy of the Bayreuth Festival) The Bayreuth Festival has found a new Chorus director. The company said that, “After an intensive search and numerous discussions with potential candidates, the Bayreuth Festival announces that Thomas Eitler – de Lint will become the new Director of the Bayreuth Festival Chorus, succeeding Eberhard Friedrich, who will reach retirement age in 2025.” Eitler {…}