If you love opera, and gravitate to the grandiosity of Richard Wagner, there’s but one place to be in the coming weeks: Bayreuth, Germany, home to the acclaimed Bayreuth Festival. The spirited, sumptuous gathering runs July 25 – Aug. 28, ostensibly opening with Jan Philipp Gloger directing The Flying Dutchman. The plot’s a bit dark. It’s the tale of a mariner fated to sail the seas forever, until his soul is redeemed by a lady’s love. As they say, it’s all in the journey.
At this writing the issue is who’s going to sing the title role? It was supposed to be Evgney Nikitin. Problem is the Russian bass-baritone just quit, prompted by criticism of a swastika tattoo he acquired when he was younger.
The issue is doubly controversial. That’s because Wagner was Adolph Hitler’s favorite composer.
Controversy aside, the festival has broadened its appeal in recent years by promoting Wagner for Kids. This year it’s a rendition of The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, one geared to children between the ages of six and ten.
Other centerpiece performances include tenor Robert Dean Smith and soprano Irene Theorin singing the leads in Tristan and Isolde. Performances are set for July 26, Aug. 1, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 20, and Aug. 26.
Other Bayreuth Festival 2012 performances include Lohengrin, Tannhaeuser, and Parsifal.
Bayreuth proper is a lovely city: sumptuous spas, great restaurants, extraordinary museums, first-rate golf and a nice intellectual air about the place in general. It’s also the gateway to the remarkable, romantic Fränkische Schweiz region. The best way to get to Bayreuth is via Deutsche Bahn from Nuremburg. Exceedingly quick trains make the journey often. Nuremburg itself is connected to the rest of the world by convenient air service.
(Image: lilli2de)
