Bayreuth Festival 2016 - The Richard Wagner Society

Transcription

The Richard Wagner Society Inc.
Bayreuth Festival 2016
Information Booklet
13 January 2016
The Bayreuther Festspiele (Bayreuth Festival) 2016
runs from Monday 25 July 2016 to Sunday 28 August 2016
Tickets available for purchase by members of
The Richard Wagner Society (Victoria)
are for operas to be performed during the period
Thursday 18 August 2016 to Thursday 25 August 2016
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Registration Number: A0004004P
ABN: 62057122885
PO Box 7367, Melbourne VIC 3004
Bayreuth Festival 2016 - Information Booklet
Introduction
Attending the Bayreuther Festspiele is truly a remarkable experience.
The Richard Wagner Society (Victoria) has put together this information booklet in order to
assist not only those of you who will be attending the Festspiele for the first time but also
repeat visitors. The material is intended only as a guide to your Bayreuth experience and
does not represent an endorsement of any particular hotel, restaurant, or event.
The aim of this booklet is to provide you with information about the Bayreuth Festival 2016 to
help you plan your visit to Bayreuth so you can attend one or more of the operas to be
performed during the Festival.
Tickets available for purchase by members of The Richard Wagner Society (Victoria) are for
these operas:
1. Der Ring des Nibelungen starting on Saturday 20 August 2016.
2. Parsifal on Wednesday 24 August 2016.
3. Der fliegende Holländer on Thursday 18 August 2016.
This booklet has information about:
 The Festspiele Experience – see page 3.
 The town of Bayreuth – see page 5.
o How to get there – see page 6.
o Getting around – see page 6.
o Bayreuth Attractions – see page 7.
o Bayreuth Churches – see page 9.
o Bayreuth Museums – see page 10.
o Bayreuth Parks – see page 16.
o Where to Stay – see page 17.
 The Bayreuth Festival Theatre – see page 18.
o Location map – see page 20.
o Seating plan – see page 21.
 The operas for which the Society has received an allocation of tickets in 2016 – see
page 22.
o The cast for each opera – starts on page 23.
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ABN: 62057122885
PO Box 7367, St Kilda Road VIC 8004
The Festspiele Experience
Getting to the Theatre
People arrive at the Festspielhaus (Festival Theatre) well before the curtain – usually an hour
or so before.
The park around the Festspielhaus is quite lovely and makes for pleasant strolls and picnics.
The #5 bus (Hohe Warte) provides the closest public transportation alternative. Some hotels
offer bus transport for free or for a small charge.
Parking at the Theatre
Parking at the Festspielhaus is ample and free, but you will certainly want to arrive about an
hour before the curtain. Parking lots can be found behind the Festspielhaus.
Comfort Factors
Since this is a summer festival, most people dress for the occasion. At least half wear
evening clothes with the occasional white tie and tails; others wear suits with ties or sport
coats with ties and pretty dresses or pants suits. No matter what one wears, the key is
comfort.
The Festspielhaus is not air conditioned, and the theatre doors are closed during the intervals.
There is a chilled air blower which comes on during interval. However, the theatre can
become warmer as the night progresses. The weather can be hot or cool and/or rainy, so you
need to plan accordingly and check the weather prior to leaving home.
Theatre Seating
There are 4 main seating areas in the Festspielhaus:
1. Parkett – Stalls.
2. Loge – Boxes.
3. Balkon – Balcony.
4. Galerie – Gallery.
The seats in the Parkett have no arms and are not particularly well padded, nor are the seat
backs. Most people, therefore, bring thin cushions - not thick ones, please, that obstruct the
view of those behind you. Some hotels supply comfortable cushions, so you may want to ask
if they provide this service when you make your hotel reservations.
There are a limited number of cushions available for hire at the Festspielhaus cloak room.
The seats in the Balkon and the Loge are padded and quite comfortable.
Theatre Etiquette
Fifteen minutes prior to the curtain, a brass ensemble arrives on the balcony and signals the
time with a fanfare taken from the act to follow. Five minutes later, the brass repeats the
fanfare twice; and at five minutes prior to the curtain, the ensemble plays the theme three
times. For Das Rheingold, there is only the single set of fanfares, as there is no intermission.
After the doors are locked, no one will be admitted. If you're late, you're out of luck.
The audience is among the best behaved in the world - no applause during the performance
or until the house is completely dark and the last note has drifted into the stratosphere. There
are no surtitles, so come prepared.
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Bookshop with Festival Artists Signing
During the Festival the centrally located Markgrafen bookshop displays a timetable of the
artists who attend for photos and signing. Early arrival on the set "Signierstunde" days is
advised as there is always a queue.
Markgrafen Buchhandlung
Book Shop Address:
Opernstraße 1-3, 95444
Bayreuth, Germany
Phone: +49 921 63009
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ABN: 62057122885
Bayreuth1
Bayreuth is a sizeable town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main River in a valley
between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtelgebirge Mountains.
The town's roots date back to 1194 and it is nowadays the capital of Upper Franconia with a
population of 72,576 (2009). It is world-famous for its annual Bayreuth Festival, at which
performances of operas by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are
presented.
The town is best known for its association with the composer Richard Wagner, who lived in
Bayreuth from 1872 until his death in 1883. Wagner's villa, "Wahnfried", was constructed in
Bayreuth under the sponsorship of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and was converted after World
War II into a Wagner Museum. In the northern part of Bayreuth is the Festival Hall, an opera
house specially constructed for and exclusively devoted to the performance of Wagner's
operas. The premieres of the final two works of Wagner's Ring Cycle ("Siegfried" and
"Götterdämmerung"); the cycle as a whole; and of Parsifal took place here.
Every summer, Wagner's operas are performed at the Festspielhaus during the month-long
Richard Wagner Festival, commonly known as the Bayreuth Festival. The Festival draws
thousands each year, and has persistently been sold out since its inauguration in 1876.
Currently, waiting lists for tickets can stretch for 10 years or more.
Owing to Wagner's relationship with the then unknown philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, the
first Bayreuth festival is cited as a key turning point in Nietzsche's philosophical development.
Though at first an enthusiastic champion of Wagner's music, Nietzsche ultimately became
hostile, viewing the festival and its revellers as symptom of cultural decay and bourgeois
decadence - an event which led him to turn his eye upon the moral values esteemed by
society as a whole - "Nietzsche clearly preferred to see Bayreuth fail than succeed by
mirroring a society gone wrong."
1
Information obtained from Wikipedia.
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Getting There2
By Train
Frequent train services connect Bayreuth to other regions of Franconia and Northern Bavaria.
Regular services exist seven days a week to and from:
 Nuremberg
o Regional-Express (RE) trains once an hour (66 minutes travel time). Many
times these trains separate en route, so make certain to board the correct train
segment.
o As a stop on the Interregio-Express (IRE) service between Nuremberg and
Dresden (49 minutes from Nuremberg, 3.5 hours from Dresden).
 Würzburg
o Direct RE trains every two hours (2.5 hours).
o Otherwise a change in Nuremberg or Lichtenfels is necessary.
 Dresden - With the IRE in 3.5 hours.
 Bamberg - 1.5 hours by RE, sometimes a change in Lichtenfels is necessary.
The Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is located approximately 1 km north of the city centre,
easily accessed by foot. Several buses also run from the train station to the central bus
station in the town centre (Lines 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 13).
By Car
Bayreuth is easily accessible on the autobahn A9, approximately 70 km north of Nuremberg
and 40 km south of Hof.
By Plane
The nearest airport with regular commercial service is in Nuremberg. Many international
flights arrive in Germany via Frankfurt or Munich, however. The nearby Airport Bayreuth is
available for private planes or to charter planes.
Getting Around3
The bus network around Bayreuth provides extensive coverage of the city and surrounding
areas, with most buses running in 20-minute intervals. The central bus station (Zentrale
Omnibus Haltestelle, ZOH) is located one block north of Maximilianstrasse near the city hall
(Rathaus). The bus plan and schedule can be found at the website for BVB-Bayreuth (in
German only). Day passes (Tageskarte) are available.
Compared to larger cities, Bayreuth is relatively easy to tackle by car. The pedestrian-only
area in the centre of town is confined to a few streets, and parking garages are easy to find.
Biking is easy and convenient in Bayreuth. Many scenic bike paths radiate from Bayreuth into
the surrounding areas.
Most sights of interest are easily reached by foot within the city. Exceptions to this are the
Festspielhaus and the Eremitage, both of which are easily accessed by bus or bike.
Taxis do not cruise but can be ordered from hotels or the nearest commercial establishment.
Taxi stands are at the Bahnhof and at Citibank (Marktplatz), and they do line up at the
Festspielhaus following the performance.
2
3
Information obtained from Wikitravel.
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Things to Do in Bayreuth
One can easily keep occupied right in Bayreuth for the length of the Festival, taking advantage
of the many concerts, lectures, and local attractions. What one does is predicated upon just
how deeply one wants to become immersed in the Festival Experience. Wagner was not the
only famous person who lived in Bayreuth. The Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth got here
first and left his mark.
Bayreuth Card
The Bayreuth Card is a three-day pass which covers public transportation, a city tour, and free
entry into nine museums (Historisches Museum, Richard-Wagner-Museum at Haus
Wahnfried, Jean-Paul-Museum, Franz-Liszt-Museum, Masonic Museum, Fayence Museum,
Maisel Beer Museum, Urwelt Museum in Oberfranken, and Art Museum). You can purchase a
Bayreuth Card at the Tourist Information office (which is located at Luitpoldplatz 9, between
the city centre and the train station), at many attractions, and at some hotels.
Margravine Wilhelmine Palaces Combination Ticket
The Margravine Wilhelmine Palaces Combination Ticket covers these attractions: Bayreuth
New Palace, Margravial Opera House, Hermitage Old Palace, Garden Museum Fantaisie
Palace, Oriental Buildung at Sanspareil Rock Garden, and Zwernitz Castle.
Bayreuth Attractions4
Most attractions in Bayreuth hail from the residence of Margravine Wilhelmine and her
husband Margrave Friedrich. A diligent supporter of the arts and culture, Wilhelmine brought
Italian architects and French builders to construct many of the town's historical landmarks. As
such, much of the architecture reflects heavy baroque and rococo influences. With its wide
pedestrian streets, the city centre is easy to stroll, and provides a pleasant contrast to many
other Bavarian towns loaded with medieval architecture. During the summer many cafes and
ice cream parlours set up outdoor seating on the main shopping streets, Maximilianstrasse,
Sophienstrasse, and Von-Römer-Strasse.
Festival Theatre (Festspielhaus), Festspielhügel 1-2 (Bus 5
to Am Festspielhaus), ☎ +49 (09 21) 7 87 80. Open Daily
except Mon. 10AM and 2PM (Dec-Apr) or 10AM, 11AM, 2PM,
and 3PM (Sept-Oct). Built in 1872, this opera house still
ranks among the best in the world in design and acoustics.
Home to the Richard Wagner Festival every summer. Just
north of the main train station, take bus 5 to Am
Festspielhaus. The grounds are crowded, tours seldom, and
tickets rare during the annual Richard Wagner Festival in late
July-August each year.
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Garden Museum Fantaisie Palace and Park (Schloss and
Park Fantaisie), Bambergerstr. 3, 95488 Eckersdorf/Donndorf
(Take bus 8231, 8433, 8446, or 8449 towards Donndorf to
stop Fantaisie), ☎ +49 (09 21) 73 14 00 11. Open Daily
except Mon. 9AM-6PM (Apr-Sept) or 10AM-4PM (Oct 1st15th), closed Oct. 16th to Apr 1st. The 18th century palace
designed by the daughter of Margrave Friedrich and
Margravine Wilhelmine, features Germany's first garden
design museum. Located 5 km west of Bayreuth, take bus
8231, 8433, 8446, or 8449 towards Donndorf to stop
Fantaisie.
Hermitage/Old Palace (Eremitage/Altes Schloss), Eremitage
1 (Take Bus 2 or 3 to Eremitage), ☎ +49 (09 21) 7 59 69 37
([email protected]). Open Daily 9AM-6PM (AprSept) or 10AM-4PM (Oct 1st-15th), closed Oct. 16th to Apr
1st. The old palace of Margrave Georg Wilhelm on the
outskirts of town, the palace was expanded and the gardens
created by Wilhelmine as a summer residence. The ornate
fountains begin their waterworks on the hour from 10AM to
5PM. Guided tours are available. The Eremitage is
approximately 6 km outside Bayreuth, take bus 2 or 3 to
Eremitage.
Margravial Opera House (Markgräfliches Opernhaus),
Opernstr. 8, ☎ +49 (09 21) 7 59 69 22
([email protected]). Open Daily 9AM-6PM (AprSept) or 10AM-4PM (Oct-Mar). The baroque opera house,
commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine and designed by
famous Giuseppe Galli Bibiena and son Carlo from Italy, was
completed in 1748 and remained Germany's largest opera
house until 1871. This ornate opera house partially drew
Richard Wagner's attention to Bayreuth.
New Palace (Neues Schloss), Ludwigstr. 21, ☎ +49 (09 21)
7 59 69 21 ([email protected]). Open Daily
except Mon. 9AM-6PM (Apr-Sept) or 10AM-4PM (Oct-Mar).
The new residence of the Margrave Friedrich and his wife
Wilhelmine after their old residence burnt down. It was
designed and built by the French builder Joseph Saint-Pierre,
and completed in 1754. The entrance fee includes entrance
to the two museums inside: The Museum "Margravine
Wilhelmine's Bayreuth" and the museum "Bayreuth Faience Rummel Collection," featuring porcelain manufactured in
Bayreuth in the 18th century. Rooms of interest include the
Garden Rooms, Cedar Room, Old Music Room, and the
Cabinet of Fragmented Mirrors (designed by Wilhelmine
herself).
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Bayreuth Churches5
Castle Church and Tower (Schlosskirche and Schlossturm),
Schlossberglein 5, 95444 Bayreuth, ☎ +49 (09 21) 885 88.
Opens for prearranged tours. The court chapel and tower
were also commissioned and built by Friedrich and
Wilhelmine, completed in 1758. The burial vault of the
Friedrich and Wilhelmine is located here. The spiral staircase
in the tower features a ramp to bring supplies up to the
guardroom, which has a great view over the town and to the
nearby Fichtelgebirge.
Spitalkirche (Spitalkirche). The hospital church is located at
the west end of the main market street Maximilianstrasse. It
is Lutheran and is managed by the town of Bayreuth as part
of the Hospital Foundation.
Stadtkirche (Stadtkirche). The Stadtkirche is a Gothic three
nave basilica dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The oldest parts
of the church date back to the 12th century. In a side nave
there is the crypt of the Hohenzollern Dynasty, for the
margraves of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
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Bayreuth Museums6
For a town of its size, Bayreuth is rich in museums; over two dozen can be found in and
around the city. Noteworthy among the many are the Richard Wagner Museum and FranzLiszt-Museum, documenting the lives of these prominent German and Hungarian composers,
the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Maisel's Brewery and Cooper's Museum, as
well as the museums located in the New Palace: Bayreuther Faiences - The Rummel
Collection, The State Galleries and Margravine Wilhelmine's Bayreuth. Every fall the
museums offer a Bayreuth Museum Night (Bayreuther Museumsnacht). On this night, a
single ticket allows entry to every museum in the city from 8PM until 2AM.
Archaeological Museum (Archäologisches Museum),
Ludwigstr. 21 (Italian Building of the New Palace), ☎ +49 (0)
9 21 / 6 53 07. End of April to beginning of November: 10AM3PM on Saturdays, or by appointment. Archeological finds
from Upper Franconia and laid out in eight rooms, spanning
the stone age through the middle ages. Most text
descriptions might be only in German.
Bayreuther Faiences - The Rummel Collection (Sammlung
Bayreuther Fayencen), In the New Palace, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21/7
59 69 21. A collection of porcelain manufactured in Bayreuth
between 1716 and 1788. See New Palace above for more
information.
Catacombs of Bayreuth's Aktien Brewery (Katakomben
der Bayreuther AKTIEN-Brauerei), Kulmbacherstr. 60, ☎ +49
(0) 9 21 / 401-234 ([email protected]). Tours Saturdays at 4PM, or group tours by
prior arrangement. Aktien Breweries provides an interesting
tour through the sandstone beer caverns that operated from
the 16th through the 19th centuries. Since the caverns stay
very cool throughout the year, appropriate clothing is
recommended.
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Fire Brigade Museum (Feuerwehrmuseum), An der
Feuerwache 4, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21/4 82 99. Open upon prior
arrangement. A collection of fire engines from different eras
and regions.
Franz-Liszt-Museum, Wahnfriedstr. 9, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 5 16
64 88. Sep - Jun: 10AM-noon & 2PM-5PM; Jul - Aug: 10AM5PM. The house of Franz Liszt, the famous Hungarian
composer and father-in-law to Richard Wagner. Very near
the Richard Wagner museum.
German Freemason Museum (Deutsches FreimaurerMuseum), Im Hofgarten 1, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 6 98 24
([email protected]). Tu-F 10AM-noon and
2PM-4PM; Sa 10AM-noon. A museum run by the German
Freemason's presenting the history of the organization.
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German Typewriter Museum (Deutsches
Schreibmaschinenmuseum), Bernecker Str. 11, ☎ +49 (0) 9
21/2 34 45. M-F by telephone appointment. A collection of
typewriters dating back to 1864. The collection in Bayreuth
began in 1936, and has expanded ever since.
Historical Museum (Historisches Museum), Kirchplatz 6, ☎
+49 (0) 9 21 / 7 64 01 11
([email protected]). Tu-Su 10AM-5PM; Jul Aug: also open Mondays. This museum chronicles the
history of Bayreuth from a small Bavarian village to one of the
most culturally-important small cities in Germany. The 17th
century building provides a suitable setting for the historical
collections.
Iwalewa House (Iwalewa-Haus), Münzgasse 9, ☎ +49 (0) 9
21/55 36 81. Tu-Su 2PM-6PM. Afro-cultural center of the
University of Bayreuth.
Jean Paul Museum, Wahnfriedstr. 1, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 5 07
14 44 ([email protected]). Sep - Jun: 10AM-noon &
2PM-5PM; Jul - Aug: 10AM-5PM. A small museum dedicated
to the life and works of the German poet, who lived his last
years from 1804 - 1825 in Bayreuth. The museum is in the
former residence of Richard Wagner's daughter Eva.
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Little Poster Museum (Kleines Plakatmuseum), FriedrichPuchta-Str. 12, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21/8 24 58. Tu & Th 4PM-6PM
and by appointment. A collection of contemporary poster art
primarily concerning popular culture advertisements (such as
movie and performance advertisements).
Maisel's Brewery and Coopers Museum (Maisel's Brauerei
und Büttnerei Museum), Kulmbacherstr. 40, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 /
40 12 34 ([email protected]). Daily 2PM. The
Guinness Book Of World Records' Most Comprehensive Beer
Museum occupies the first brewery building of Maisel's
Brewery (taken out of commission in the 1970s). The 90
minute tour covers the entirety of the brewing process, and of
course finishes with a glass of Maisel's Weissbier. Group
tours for 12 or more people can be booked by calling in
advance.
Museum of Agricultural Tools and Equipment (Museum
für bäuerliche Arbeitsgeräte), Adolf-Wächter-Str. 17, ☎ +49
(0) 9 21/5 75 15. May - Oct: M-F 9:30AM-noon, Su 2PM5PM; Rest of the year and for groups, irregularly or by
appointment. A collection of agricultural equipment
highlighting the tools and techniques of farmers from Upper
Franconia. What started as a private collection by Günter
Schmidt was taken over by the city and offered as a public
museum starting in 1972. Housed in a historic farmhouse.
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Museum of Art (Kunstmuseum), Maximilianstr. 33, ☎ +49
(0) 9 21/7 64 53 10. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM; Jul - Aug: also open
Mondays. Housed in the former city hall's Renaissance-style
building, the Museum of Art offers alternating collections of
sculpture and painting.
Museum of Natural History (Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken),
Kanzleistr. 1, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 51 12 11 ([email protected]). Tu-Su 10AM-5PM; Jul - Aug: also open
Mondays. The museum in the main pedestrian shopping
area highlights the life, geology and minerology during the
last 500 million years of Upper Franconia. In front of the
museum looms a giant dinosaur statue, along the main
shopping street.
Museum of Wilhelmine's Bayreuth, Museum Das Bayreuth
der Wilhelmine. Museum highlighting the life and culture of
Bayreuth during the time of Margravine Wilhelmine. The
collections are part of the New Palace, see above for more
information.
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Natural Science Museum (Naturkundemuseum),
Karolinenreuther Str. 58, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21/75 94 20. Nov Feb: Tu-F 9AM-4PM, Su 10AM-3PM; Mar - Oct: Tu-F 9AM4PM, Sa-Su 1PM-5PM. This small museum in a farmhouse
just outside the city describes the flora and fauna of Bayreuth
and Upper Franconia. The museum is especially designed to
engage and educate children.
Richard Wagner Museum, Richard-Wagner-Str. 48, ☎ +49
(0) 9 21/7 57 28 16. Apr - Oct: 9AM-5PM M,W,F,Sa,Su, &
9AM-8PM Tu,Th; Nov - Mar: 10AM-5PM daily. The
composer's old residence (Wahnfried House, Haus
Wahnfried) has been converted to a museum chronicling his
life and works. The composer, his wife, and their dog are
buried in the garden. The museum may be of lesser interest
to non-German speakers, as it has few English translations.
State Gallery in the New Palace (Staatsgalerie im Neuen
Schloss), Ludwigstraße 21 (In the New Palace), ☎ +49 (0) 9
21 / 7 59 69-0. Apr - Sept: 9AM-6PM daily; Oct - Mar: 10AM4PM (closed M). Occupying three rooms of the palace, this
exhibition features 80 works of art from the late baroque.
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Bayreuth Parks 7
Court Garden (Hofgarten), (Behind the Neues Schloss).
Open 24 hours a day year round. The court garden of the
Neues Schloss, this park provides a welcome bit of green in
the middle of the city. On sunny days, you can find many
residents here relaxing or exercising with a little sport.
Hermitage (Eremitage). See Hermitage/Old Palace above
for information.
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Hotels in the City 8
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Gasthof zum Brandenburger, St. Georgen 9, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 78906-0. Another
small guesthouse in the city part of the attached restaurant.
Gasthof Kolb, Wendelhöfen 8, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 24216. Small family-run guest house
in Bayreuth with restaurant and an attached Biergarten.
Goldener Löwe, Kulmbacher Str. 30, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 746060.
Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Bahnhofstr. 13, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 23046
([email protected]). Highly reviewed hotel near the train station.
Staff can speak English, French, and Italian.
Hotel Lohmühle, Badstr. 37, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 5306-0. This self-proclaimed
"Franconian" hotel sits a short walk from the city center.
add on Kolping Hotel Bayreuth, Kolpingstr. 5, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 151238-0.
Arvena Kongress Hotel, Eduard-Bayerlein-Str. 5a, ☎ +49 (0)921 727 -0.
Hotel Goldener Anker, Opernstr. 6, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 65051. Highly reviewed hotel
very near the Margravial Operahouse, featuring wireless internet and on-site parking
Hotel Bayerische Hof, Bahnhofstr. 14, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 7860-0.
Hotels Outside the City 9
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8
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Hotel-Gasthof Opel, Bayreuther Str. 1, 95500 Heinersreuth, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 41884
([email protected]). This hotel occupies a 19th century building around 3 km
from the center of Bayreuth and run by the Opel family. Free wireless internet and free
parking is available.
Best Western Transmar-Travel-Hotel, Bühlstraße 12 95463 Bindlach, ☎ +49 (0) 9
20 / 8686-0 ([email protected]). checkin: 3PM; checkout: Noon.
Chain hotel near the autobahn. Offers normal amenities such as breakfast, free
parking, and wireless internet.
Grunau Hotel, Kemnather Straße 27, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 7980-0. Larger hotel located
3.5 km east of the city center. Features wireless internet and bicycle rental.
Hotel Bürgerreuth, An der Bürgerreuth 20, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 7840-0.
Hotel Eremitage, Eremitage 6, ☎ +49 (0) 9 21 / 79997-0. Upscale hotel located at
the Hermitage (Eremitage).
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The Bayreuth Festival Theatre10
The Bayreuth Festspielhaus or Bayreuth Festival Theatre (German: Bayreuther Festspielhaus,
is an opera house north of Bayreuth, Germany, dedicated solely to the performance of operas
by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner. It is the venue for the annual
Bayreuth Festival, for which it was specifically conceived and built. Its official name is RichardWagner-Festspielhaus.
Wagner adapted the design of the Festspielhaus from an unrealised project by Gottfried
Semper for an opera house in Munich, without the architect's permission, and supervised its
construction. Ludwig II of Bavaria provided the primary funding for the construction. The
foundation stone was laid on 22 May 1872, Wagner's 59th birthday. The building was first
opened for the premiere of the complete four-opera cycle of Der Ring des Nibelungen (The
Ring of the Nibelung), from 13 to 17 August 1876.
Only the entry façade exhibits the typical late-19th-century ornamentation, while the remainder
of the exterior is modest and shows mostly undecorated bricks. The interior is mainly wood
and has a reverberation time of 1.55 seconds. The Festspielhaus is a carpenter's building; in
fact, it is the largest free standing timber structure ever erected. Unlike the traditional opera
house design with several tiers of seating in a horse-shoe shaped auditorium, the
Festspielhaus's seats are arranged in a single steeply-shaped wedge, with no galleries or
boxes. This is also known as continental seating. Many contemporary movie Theatres have
adopted this style of seating, which gives every seat an equal and uninterrupted view of the
stage. The capacity of the Festspielhaus is 1,925 and has a volume of 10,000 cubic metres.
Figure 1: The Auditorium
The Festspielhaus features a double proscenium, which gives the audience the illusion that
the stage is further away than it actually is. The double proscenium and the recessed
orchestra pit create – in Wagner's term – a "mystic gulf" between the audience and the stage.
10
Information obtained from Wikipedia.
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This gives a dreamlike character to performances, and provides a physical reinforcement of
the mythic content of most of Wagner's operas.
The architecture of Festpielhaus
accomplished many of Wagner's goals and ideals for the performances of his operas including
an improvement on the sound, feel, and overall look of the production.
The Festpielhaus was originally planned to open in 1873, but by that time Wagner had barely
raised enough money to put up the walls of his theatre. He began to raise money by traveling
and putting on concerts in various cities and countries throughout Europe. Even after Ludwig
began funding the project, Wagner had to continue putting on concerts to keep the building
project financially afloat. The tours were very taxing on Wagner's health and would eventually
be a key element to his death later on in 1883.
Figure 2: The Orchestra Pit
A significant feature of the Festspielhaus is its unusual orchestra pit. It is recessed under the
stage and covered by a hood, so that the orchestra is completely invisible to the audience.
This feature was a central preoccupation for Wagner, since it made the audience concentrate
on the drama onstage, rather than the distracting motion of the conductor and musicians. The
design also corrected the balance of volume between singers and orchestra, creating ideal
acoustics for Wagner's operas, which are the only operas performed at the Festspielhaus.
However, this arrangement has also made it the most challenging to conduct in, even for the
world's best conductors. Not only is the crowded pit enveloped in darkness, but the acoustic
reverberation makes it difficult to synchronise the orchestra with the singers. Conductors must
therefore retrain themselves to ignore cues from singers.
The orchestra layout deployed at Bayreuth is unusual in three ways:
1. The first violins are positioned on the right-hand side of the conductor instead of their
usual place on the left side. This is in all likelihood because of the way the sound is
intended to be directed towards the stage rather than directly on the audience. This
way the sound has a more direct line from the first violins to the back of the stage
where it can be then reflected to the audience.
2. Double basses, cellos and harps (when more than one used, e.g. Ring) are split into
groups and placed on either side of the pit.
3. The rest of the orchestra is located directly under the stage.
This makes
communication with the conductor vital as most of the players are unable to see or
hear the singers, but creates the huge, rich sounds Wagner sought to compose.
Page 19 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Festival Theatre - Location Map
Figure 3: Location Map
A larger map can be viewed using google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/1kgktcr6nXx
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ABN: 62057122885
Festival Theatre - Seating Plan
Figure 4: Seating Plan
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ABN: 62057122885
The Operas
Tickets available for purchase by members of The Richard Wagner Society (Victoria) are for
these operas:
1. Der Ring des Nibelungen starting on Saturday 20 August 2016.
2. Parsifal on Wednesday 24 August 2016.
3. Der fliegende Holländer on Thursday 18 August 2016.
Performance Times
Opera
Date
Seating Area
Start Time
Das Rheingold
Saturday 20
August 2016
Sunday 21
August 2016
Tuesday 23
August 2016
Thursday 25
August 2016
Wednesday 24
August 2016
Thursday 18
August 2016
Parkett (Stalls)
6:00 PM
Parkett (Stalls)
4:00 PM
Parkett (Stalls)
4:00 PM
Parkett (Stalls)
4:00 PM
Mitteloge
(Centre Boxes)
Loge (Boxes)
4:00 PM
Die Walküre
Siegfried
Götterdämmerung
Parsifal
Der fliegende Holländer
6:00 PM
Running Time
(approx.)
2 hours & 30
minutes
5 hours & 40
minutes
5 hours & 50
minutes
6 hours & 40
minutes
5 hours & 45
minutes
2 hours & 30
minutes
Page 22 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Das Rheingold - Saturday 20 August 2016
Synopsis
The first act of this first opera begins with a scene in which a dwarf named Alberich seizes the
gold of the Rhinemaidens. Alberich denounces love in order to gain possession of the magic
ring which gives its wearer ultimate power. This scene sets up the Ring as the most desirable
object in the world, and thus it establishes the fundamental intrigue that lasts throughout the
entire cycle of the Ring. Rhinegold is the story of the gods, possibly more so than the rest of
the operas. One learns of the suffering of Wotan and the problems the gods have in repaying
Fafner and Fasolt, the giants who built Valhalla. Since Wagner created Rhinegold to be the
"Prelude" to the Ring, this opera perhaps is not as "free-standing" as the other works.
Nevertheless, Rhinegold introduces the main lines of The Ring's dramatic conflict and many of
the cycle's main musical ideas.
The Cast
Conductor
Marek Janowski
Director
Frank Castorf
Stage design
Aleksandar Denić
Costumes
Adriana Braga Peretzki
Lighting
Rainer Casper
Video
Andreas Deinert
Jens Crull
Technische
Einrichtung 20132014
Karl-Heinz Matitschka
Wotan
Iain Paterson
Donner
Markus Eiche
Froh
Tansel Akzeybek
Loge
Roberto Saccà
Fricka
Sarah Connolly
Freia
Caroline Wenborne
Erda
Nadine Weissmann
Alberich
Albert Dohmen
Mime
Andreas Conrad
Fasolt
Andreas Hörl
Fafner
N.N.
Woglinde
Alexandra Steiner
Wellgunde
Stephanie Houtzeel
Floßhilde
Wiebke Lehmkuhl
Page 23 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Die Walküre - Sunday 21 August 2016
Synopsis
Brunnhilde and her father Wotan respectively struggle with their pride in order to decide the
ultimate destiny of mortals. The Valkyries deals with the deep, but difficult relationship
between gods and mortals. These gods also play games with one another, picking favourites
and taking sides. Nobleness, especially in love, seems to come second to oaths - the divine
promises - of the gods. Siegmund, the mortal hero, essentially dies because his father,
Wotan, is under obligation to obey his lawful wife, Fricka.
The Cast
Conductor
Marek Janowski
Director
Frank Castorf
Stage design
Aleksandar Denić
Costumes
Lighting
Rainer Casper
Video
Andreas Deinert
Jens Crull
Technische
Siegmund
Christopher Ventris
Hunding
Andreas Hörl
Wotan
John Lundgren
Sieglinde
Jennifer Wilson
Brünnhilde
Catherine Foster
Fricka
Sarah Connolly
Gerhilde
Caroline Wenborne
Ortlinde
Dara Hobbs
Waltraute
Stephanie Houtzeel
Schwertleite
Nadine Weissmann
Helmwige
Christiane Kohl
Siegrune
Simone Schröder
Grimgerde
Wiebke Lehmkuhl
Rossweisse
Alexandra Petersamer
Page 24 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Siegfried - Tuesday 23 August 2016
Synopsis
Siegfried is often called the Scherzo of The Ring, suggesting that it is the lightest of the four
dramas. It is the story of a hero, Siegfried, and how he grows into manhood to discover fear
and love. Raised by the Nibelung Mime, Siegfried is young, innocent and cocky. With the
help of a mysterious Wanderer (who is really Wotan in disguise), Siegfried finds the pieces of
his father's sword, Notung, reforges them and uses the instrument to kill the dragon Fafner
who guards the hoard of Nibelung gold that formerly belonged to the Rhinemaidens. As a
result of his killing of Fafner, Siegfried comes into possession of Alberich's cursed ring. But,
Siegfried faces his ultimate challenge when he follows a birdsong to find the sleeping
Brunnhilde whom fate has destined Siegfried to awaken and fall in love with. At the end of the
opera, Siegfried gives the Ring to Brunnhilde to prove and symbolize his oath of love and
fidelity to her.
The Cast
Conductor
Marek Janowski
Director
Frank Castorf
Stage design
Aleksandar Denić
Costumes
Lighting
Rainer Casper
Video
Andreas Deinert
Jens Crull
Technische
Siegfried
Stefan Vinke
Mime
Andreas Conrad
Der Wanderer
Thomas J. Mayer
Alberich
Albert Dohmen
Fafner
N.N.
Erda
Nadine Weissmann
Brünnhilde
Catherine Foster
Waldvogel
Ana Durlovski
Page 25 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Götterdämmerung - Thursday 25 August 2016
Synopsis
An ambiance of doom overabides The Twilight of the Gods. Wotan and the rest of the cycle's
characters face the consequences of the choices they made throughout the stories of the first
three operas. As predicted by the three Norns in the "Prelude" to this opera, the Nibelung
Alberich's curse upon the Ring proves to be prophetic. Everyone who comes into possession
of it is ultimately destroyed. Although Wotan's disempowerment was foreshadowed in
Siegfried by the breaking of his spear by Siegfried, the doomed fate of the gods and their AllFather Wotan is sealed when Alberich's evil son, Hagen dupes and cruelly murders the brave
mortal hero Siegfried. Thus, The Twilight of the Gods , which is a panorama of love and
betrayal, good and evil, subconscious and overt events, grand, pictorial and private, intimate
scenes is the climax of the whole Ring cycle and shows Wagner at zenith of his powers.
The Cast
Conductor
Marek Janowski
Director
Frank Castorf
Stage design
Aleksandar Denić
Costumes
Lighting
Rainer Casper
Video
Andreas Deinert
Jens Crull
Choral Conducting
Eberhard Friedrich
Technische
Siegfried
Stefan Vinke
Gunther
Markus Eiche
Alberich
Albert Dohmen
Hagen
Stephen Milling
Brünnhilde
Catherine Foster
Gutrune
Allison Oakes
Waltraute
Marina Prudenskaya
1. Norn
Wiebke Lehmkuhl
2. Norn
Stephanie Houtzeel
3. Norn
Christiane Kohl
Woglinde
Alexandra Steiner
Wellgunde
Stephanie Houtzeel
Floßhilde
Wiebke Lehmkuhl
Page 26 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Parsifal - Wednesday 24 August 2016
Synopsis
The plot is drawn from medieval legend. Christian knights in Spain guard two special relics in
their castle: the Holy Grail and the Holy Spear that pierced Jesus on the cross. The knights
have been in trouble since their leader Amfortas decided to attack a nearby sorcerer’s lair
armed with the spear. The sorcerer, named Klingsor, was a would-be knight who after
rejection from the order castrated himself in a rage. His servant, Kundry, seduced Amfortas
allowing Klingsor to steal the spear and stab him for good measure.
Only a man made wise by compassion can save Amfortas. Enter Parsifal, an unpromising
candidate. He has defiled the castle by shooting a swan and seems to have as little interest in
what happens around him as he does in his own past. But when he witnesses a wounded
Amfortas unveiling the Holy Grail – to glowing, transcendent music – his sympathy is stirred.
He travels to Klingsor’s castle where he must defy the temptations of the flower-maidens and
Kundry – whom, we learn, is a female version of The Flying Dutchman, cursed to wander the
earth for laughing at Jesus on the Via Dolorosa – win back the spear and heal the order.
The Cast
Conductor
Andris Nelsons
Director
Uwe Eric Laufenberg
Stage design
Gisbert Jäkel
Costumes
Jessica Karge
Lighting
Reinhard Traub
Choral Conducting
Eberhard Friedrich
Amfortas
Ryan McKinny
Titurel
N.N.
Gurnemanz
Georg Zeppenfeld
Parsifal
Klaus Florian Vogt
Klingsor
Gerd Grochowski
Kundry
Elena Pankratova
1. Gralsritter
Tansel Akzeybek
2. Gralsritter
Timo Riihonen
1. Knappe
Alexandra Steiner
2. Knappe
Mareike Morr
3. Knappe
Charles Kim
4. Knappe
Stefan Heibach
Klingsors Zaubermädchen
Netta Or
Katharina Persicke
Mareike Morr
Alexandra Steiner
Bele Kumberger
Ingeborg Gillebo
Altsolo
Wiebke Lehmkuhl
Page 27 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Der fliegende Holländer - Thursday 18 August 2016
Synopsis
The mysterious Dutchman is condemned to sail the seas with his ghostly crew until redeemed
by the pure love of a woman. After a stormy overture Daland's ship puts in to land, and a
stranger ship puts in alongside, hailed by Daland's steersman, but not answering his call or
the invitations offered by the local people, who celebrate the return of their men-folk. The
Dutchman himself, captain of the ghostly ship, allowed now, after seven more years, to land in
his quest for release, asks Daland for hospitality, offering him rich reward and showing an
interest in Senta, his daughter. In Daland’s house, where the women sit spinning, Senta has
long been preoccupied by the story of the Dutchman and fascinated by his portrait. Erik, a
huntsman, loves her and tells her his dream, in which he saw Daland bringing home a
stranger. Senta, however, is still more preoccupied with her vision of the strange seafarer,
whom her father now brings home. Senta's love, it seems, will bring the Dutchman the
redemption he seeks. He overhears Erik, however, reproaching Senta for her infidelity and
resolves to leave her. As The Flying Dutchman sails out into the open sea, Senta, who has
struggled free from Erik and those who seek to restrain her, leaps from the cliff in a pure act of
love. The Dutchman's ship and crew sink at once in the waves, and he and Senta are seen
united for ever.
The Cast
Conductor
Axel Kober
Director
Jan Philipp Gloger
Stage design
Christof Hetzer
Costumes
Karin Jud
Lighting
Urs Schönebaum
Video
Martin Eidenberger
Dramaturgy
Sophie Becker
Choral Conducting
Eberhard Friedrich
Technische
Daland
Peter Rose
Senta
Ricarda Merbeth
Erik
Andreas Schager
Mary
Christa Mayer
Der Steuermann
Benjamin Bruns
Der Holländer
John Lundgren
Page 28 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Index
Archaeological Museum ..................10
Bayreuth
Bayreuth Attractions ......................7
Bayreuth Churches ........................9
Bayreuth Museums ......................10
Bayreuth Parks .............................16
Getting Around................................6
Getting There ..................................6
The Town of Bayreuth ...................5
Things to Do in Bayreuth ..............7
Bayreuth Attractions...........................7
Festival Theatre ..............................7
Garden Museum Fantaisie Palace
and Park.......................................8
Hermitage/Old Palace ...................8
Margravial Opera House ...............8
New Palace .....................................8
Bayreuth Card .....................................7
Bayreuth Churches
Spitalkirche ......................................9
Stadtkirche.......................................9
Bayreuth Churches ............................9
Castle Church and Tower .............9
Bayreuth Festival Theatre ...............18
Location Map.................................20
Seating Plan ..................................21
Bayreuth Museums ..........................10
Archaeological Museum ..............10
Bayreuther Faiences....................10
Catacombs of Bayreuth's Aktien
Brewery ......................................10
Fire Brigade Museum ..................11
Franz-Liszt-Museum ....................11
German Freemason Museum ....11
German Typewriter Museum ......12
Historical Museum........................12
Iwalewa House .............................12
Jean Paul Museum ......................12
Little Poster Museum ...................13
Maisel's Brewery and Coopers
Museum .....................................13
Museum of Agricultural Tools and
Equipment .................................13
Museum of Art...............................14
Museum of Natural History .........14
Museum of Wilhelmine's Bayreuth
.................................................... 14
Natural Science Museum ........... 15
Richard Wagner Museum ........... 15
State Gallery in the New Palace 15
Bayreuth Parks ................................. 16
Court Garden ................................ 16
Hermitage ...................................... 16
Bayreuther Faiences ....................... 10
Bookshop with Festival Artists
Signing ............................................. 4
Castle Church and Tower ................. 9
Catacombs of Bayreuth's Aktien
Brewery ......................................... 10
Comfort Factors ................................. 3
Court Garden .................................... 16
Das Rheingold - Saturday 20 August
2016 ............................................... 23
Der fliegende Holländer - Thursday
18 August 2016 ............................ 28
Die Walküre - Sunday 21 August
2016 ............................................... 24
Etiquette .............................................. 3
Festival Theatre ................................. 7
Festival Theatre - Location Map .... 20
Festival Theatre - Seating Plan ..... 21
Fire Brigade Museum ...................... 11
Franz-Liszt-Museum ........................ 11
Garden Museum Fantaisie Palace
and Park .......................................... 8
German Freemason Museum ........ 11
German Typewriter Museum ......... 12
Getting to the Theatre ....................... 3
Götterdämmerung - Thursday 25
August 2016 .................................. 26
Hermitage .......................................... 16
Hermitage/Old Palace ....................... 8
Historical Museum ........................... 12
Hotels in the City .............................. 17
Hotels Outside the City ................... 17
Iwalewa House ................................. 12
Jean Paul Museum .......................... 12
Little Poster Museum....................... 13
Maisel's Brewery and Coopers
Museum ......................................... 13
Page 29 of 30
ABN: 62057122885
Margravial Opera House ...................8
Margravine Wilhelmine Palaces
Combination Ticket ........................7
Museum of Agricultural Tools and
Equipment .....................................13
Museum of Art...................................14
Museum of Natural History .............14
Museum of Wilhelmine's Bayreuth 14
Natural Science Museum ................15
New Palace .........................................8
Parking at the Theatre .......................3
Parsifal - Wednesday 24 August
2016 ............................................... 27
Richard Wagner Museum ............... 15
Siegfried - Tuesday 23 August 2016
........................................................ 25
Spitalkirche ......................................... 9
Stadtkirche .......................................... 9
State Gallery in the New Palace.... 15
The Festspiele Experience ............... 3
Theatre Seating .................................. 3
Things to Do in Bayreuth .................. 7
Page 30 of 30
ABN: 62057122885

Bayreuth Festival 2016 - The Richard Wagner Society

Transcription

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