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Special Features

Best of 2022: OperaWire’s Top 11 Singers of 2022

https://operawire.com/best-of-2022-operawires-top-11-singers-of-2022/

After a bumpy 2021, which still had numerous COVID cancelations, 2022 saw opera companies almost return to normalcy. There were setbacks like cyberattacks, a war that has destroyed a country, and companies losing funds from government agencies. But in all, it also showed how opera companies could unite through benefit concerts and through sheer artistry. And after releasing our favorite {…}

News

Germany’s Culture Minister Calls for Reform at Bayreuth Festival

https://operawire.com/germanys-culture-minister-calls-for-reform-at-bayreuth-festival/

The German Minister of State for Culture has called on the Bayreuth Festival to reform. Per BR Klassik, Claudia Roth, who holds the position, did not specify what she meant when she called for reform but did note that festival management had to “design the general conditions of the festival in such a way that artistic excellence can be achieved.” {…}

News

Irene Theorin Gives Middle Finger to Booing Audience at Bayreuth Festival

https://operawire.com/irene-theorin-gives-middle-finger-to-booing-audience-at-bayreuth-festival/

The final performance of “Götterdämmerung” at the Bayreuth Festival saw Irene Theorin stick up her middle finger to the audience after boos erupted during her final curtain call. According to reports, “first there were some boos for her and then pointing to people in the audience with a finger. She then raised her middle finger and the whole house booed {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2022 Review: Götterdämmerung

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2022-review-gotterdammerung/

(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) With “Götterdämmerung,” any chance of Valentin Schwarz giving an understandable meaning to his production went nowhere. For the first time in the tetralogy, Schwarz presented paranormal elements like the three Norns (represented as three faceless woman wearing  sparkling costumes and makeup) or the transformation, thanks to the magic helmet, of Siegfried into Gunther for the last scene {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Bayreuth Festival 2022 Review: Siegfried

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-2022-review-siegfried/

(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) And now we have entered the realm of the absurd. Those who read my reviews for “Das Rheingold” and “Die Walküre,” know that I was quite critical of director Valentin Schwarz’s approach, which proved hostile to the original libretto in most of his “creative” choices. But this production of “Siegfried” somehow managed to push beyond those limits {…}

News

Bayreuth Festival Announces Cast Change for ‘Götterdämmerung’ Premiere

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-announces-cast-change-for-gotterdammerung-premiere/

The Bayreuth Festival has announced a cast change for the premiere of “Götterdämmerung” on August 5, 2022. The company said, “To his greatest regret, Stephen Gould has to cancel his participation as Siegfried in the premiere of ‘Götterdämmerung’ due to illness. The festival management would like to thank Clay Hilley, who will also take on the role today.” Hilley has {…}

News

Deutsche Grammophon Expands Relationship with Bayreuth Festival

https://operawire.com/deutsche-grammophon-expands-relationship-with-bayreuth-festival/

Deutsche Grammophon has announced that it will once again be the exclusive international media partner of the Bayreuth Festival 2022. The company noted that it will expand its longstanding partnership as it will build on the benchmark standards of online streaming that the partnership has set in the last two years. Deutsche Grammophon will record Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle tetralogy {…}

News

Bayreuth Festival Experiencing Rising COVID Cases

https://operawire.com/bayreuth-festival-experiencing-rising-covid-cases/

Opera Magazine is reporting that COVID cases are on the rise at the Bayreuth Festival. The publication is reporting that “among the high number of COVID cases hitting artists and staff at Bayreuth’s ⁦Festival include Ring Cycle conductor Pietari Inkinen, who is isolating.” As a result, Cornelius Meister,  who is already conducting the new “Tristan und Isolde,” is currently rehearsing {…}