“Entdecke.de”: the fascination of Bayreuth
The “Entdecke.de” series takes you on a tour through Germany. This time our destination is Bayreuth, which is celebrating the Wagner anniversary year with a spectacular cultural programme. The city is also well worth a visit at any other time!
For some, his music is a challenge; but his fans just can’t resist his opulent sounds: the German composer and opera director Richard Wagner is famous for his music dramas. The celebrations to mark his 200th birthday are now underway in the festival city of Bayreuth. The season got off to an unusual musical start with a performance by the brass ensemble Mnozil Brass, staged by French director Philippe Arlaud. In their comedy programme the musicians mixed Wagner motifs with Haydn, Puccini, jazz and slapstick – and showed that the great German composer can be approached in many ways. Wagner, famous worldwide for such operas as The Ring of the Nibelung and Tristan and Isolde, had settled in the city in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, in 1870 and founded the Bayreuth Festival, which is held every summer.
In the Wagner Year of 2013 Bayreuth is marking the anniversary by dedicating about 100 additional performances, some featuring really top-class artists, to the famous and controversial artist, and of course to the almost mythical fascination that surrounds his personality and his work. Guests will include the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Bayerischer Rundfunk Radio Symphony Orchestra. The climax is expected to be the concert by the Staatskapelle Dresden under Christian Thielemann, currently the most sought-after of Wagner conductors. In addition, numerous other exhibitions, lectures and concerts will make Bayreuth a magnetic cultural attraction in 2013.
One of the cultural places of interest that make a trip to Bayreuth worthwhile is the magnificent Margravial Opera House, one of the most beautiful baroque theatres in Europe. It was completed in 1748 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2012. The city, seat of the Margraves of Bayreuth, also has many more attractive destinations. They include the New Palace and the Eremitage, a historic park featuring the Old Palace and numerous fountains.
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