The Bayreuth Festival

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Practical information on hotels, transportation and activities in and around Bayreuth
Sights in Bayreuth: Villa Wahnfried 2007 and revisited 2008 , the Franz Liszt house
Sights outside Bayreuth: Nürnberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
The Bayreuth City Center

Bayreuth dress code: Audience photographs in 2007 and in 2008
The brass octet (one of the reasons it pays off to arrive at least 15 minutes before the performances start)

Information and photographs from the inside of the Bayreuth Festival House
Information on the immediate surroundings of the Bayreuth Festival House
Walking on the Green Hill in 2007 and in 2008

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - THE TICKETS AND HOW TO GET THEM

How to get tickets for the Bayreuth Festival - General information
How to get tickets on the day of the performance in Bayreuth - entirely legal

How I got tickets for Parsifal
Black-market ticket prizes on ebay
For those applying for tickets by mail- remember the deadline every year..
When the ticket applications arrive at the Bayreuth Festival House

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - GENERAL INFORMATION

The orchestra pit of the Bayreuth Festival House

General information on the history of the Bayreuth Festival here.

Brief introduction to the most important descendants of Richard Wagner alive today and the struggle for leadership of the Bayreuth Festival
A continuously updated documentary "docu-soap" related to the situation around the management of the Bayreuth Festival

Video featuring the famous covered orchestra pit of the Bayreuth Festival House.

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - SELECTED POST-WAR PRODUCTIONS ON CD

Der Ring des Nibelungen (1955). Conductor: Joseph Keilberth. The first stereo recording of the Nibelungen Ring, and quite possibly also the best (I do love the Solti recording, but Hotter is just so much better here..). With Hans Hotter and Astrid Varnay, both in their prime. Live recording from Testament.
Tristan und Isolde (1966). Conductor: Karl Böhm. With Birgit Nilsson, Wolfgang Windgassen and Christa Ludwig on DG in a classic performance.
Parsifal (1951). Legendary performance of the first year of the New Bayreuth conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch. With Wolfgang Windgassen, Ludwig Weber, George London and Martha Mödl (mono).
Parsifal (1962). Perhaps the finest version of this work, conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch with Jess Thomas, Hans Hotter, George London and Irene Dalis. Philips in stereo.

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - ALL COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASES

The Flying Dutchman 1985 (d: Kupfer, c: Nelsson) - the DVD Dutchman to own (competition is very sparse, though)

Tannhäuser 1978 (d: Friedrich, c: Davis) - Gwyneth Jones as both Venus and Elisabeth in a classic production.
Tannhäuser 1989 (d: Wagner, c: Sinopoli) - do NOT buy this DVD unless you have a major desire to be bored..´
Lohengrin 1982 (d: Friedrich, c: Nelsson) - also somewhat outdated production, which I really cannot recommend.
Lohengrin 1991 (d: Herzog, c: Schneider) - same goes for this production, though I´d prefer it to the above..
Tristan and Isolde 1982 (d: Ponnelle, c: Barenboim) - wonderful, though static production. Strongly recommended for those preferring a "traditional" approach to the work.
Tristan and Isolde 1995 (d: Müller, c: Barenboim) also a static production, but this time featuring Waltraud Meier. Together with Barenboim´s superb reading of the score, one of the best Tristans on DVD.
Tristan and Isolde 2009 (d: Marthaler, c: Schneider) - a disheartening productiong, but with good singing
Meistersinger 1984 (d: Wolfgang Wagner, c: Stein) - again demonstrates why Wolfgang Wagner is not exactly an innovative stage director. Better than his disgraceful Tannhäuser, but still quite boring, I´d say.
Meistersinger 1999 (d: Wolfgang Wagner, c: Barenboim) - slightly better than his previous previous Meistersinger production, but fascinating theater it is not...
Meistersinger 2008 (d: Katharina Wagner, c: Weigle) - a controversial production, better than it´s reputation
Ring des Nibelungen 1980 (d: Chéreau, c: Boulez) - The legendary Centenary Ring - not at all controversial by current standards. A must-see for all interested in Wagner performances.
Ring des Nibelungen 1991 (d: Kupfer, c: Barenboim) - A personal over-all favorite. Barenboim´s superb conducting combined with Kupfer´s lively, minimalistic approach.
Götterdämmerung 1997 (d: Kirchner, c: Levine) - For those curious to know what this Kirchner Ring was all about.
Walküre 2009 (d: Dorst, c: Thielemann)

Parsifal 1981 (d: Wolfgang Wagner, c: Stein) - A fine introduction to Parsifal.
Parsifal 1998 (d: Wolfgang Wagner, c: Sinopoli)

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL- LIVE PERFORMANCES REVIEWED BY MOSTLY OPERA

Meistersinger 2007 (d: Katharina Wagner, c: Sebastian Weigle)Parsifal 2007 (d: Schlingensief, c: Fischer)
Rheingold 2007 (d: Dorst, c: Thielemann)
Walküre 2007 (d: Dorst, c: Thielemann)
Siegfried 2007 (d: Dorst, c: Thielemann)
Götterdämmerung 2007 (d: Dorst, c: Thielemann)

Tristan and Isolde 2008 (d: Marthaler, c: Schneider)
Parsifal 2008 (d: Herheim, c: Gatti)

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL - LINKS

All posts on mostly opera related to the Bayreuth Festival
General information on the Bayreuth Festival also available on Wagneropera.net

Official webpage of the Bayreuth Festival

Wikipedia - General information on the Bayreuth Festival