The Bayreuth Festival has announced a cast change for two productions. The company said that due to health reasons Dmitry Belosselskiy has canceled his participation in the festival. As a result, Mika Kares will take over the role of Hagen in the “Götterdämmerung” and Günther Groissböck in the role of Landgrave Hermann in the “Tannhäuser.” Kares will make his debut {…}
The Bayreuth Festival has announced a cast change for its production of “Der Fliegende Holländer.” The company said, star baritone Michael Volle will return to the 2023 Bayreuth Festival in the title role of “Der Fliegende Holländer” and that John Lundgren has canceled his participation for personal reasons. “Prof. Wagner expresses her extraordinary gratitude to Michael Volle, who was last seen {…}
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.” {…}
(Photo by Pablo Faccinetto) Katharina Wagner has announced that conductors Semyon Bychkov and Daniele Gatti will be making their returns to the Bayreuth Festival in the coming years. In an official release, the director of the famed institution noted that Gatti would be returning in 2025 to lead a production “Die Meistersinger” while Bychkov would lead a new “Tristan und {…}
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 {…}
While taking in a divisive production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” it was quite refreshing to take in the August 12 performance of “Tristan und Isolde” and come away hearing deserved bravos and cheers. While most productions are usually planned years in advance, director Roland Schwab was only commissioned to take on this a new production of Wagner’s masterpiece in {…}
(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 {…}
(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 {…}
(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) Controversy was in full force as the second run of performances of the Bayreuth’s “Ring des Nibelungen” kicked off on August 10. Conductor Cornelius Meister had to step in on very short notice to replace a sick colleague. Tomas Konieczny, who sang Wotan, fell on the set in the second act of “Die Walküre” and had to {…}
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 {…}
The Bayreuth Festival has confirmed that Polish bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny will perform in the opening night of “Siegfried.” The company said, “After yesterday’s stage accident, Tomasz Konieczny is on the road to recovery and will sing the Wanderer as planned for tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Siegfried.’ We would like to take this opportunity to expressly thank Michael Kupfer-Radecky, who brilliantly saved {…}