Taste Bayreuth on La Rambla in 2012

3 operas from the Festival in Bayreuth will travel to Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona to open their 2012-2013 season, namely from September 1 to 6th 2012.

Lohengrin [Sept. 1 & 4] and The Flying Dutchman [Sept. 2 & 5] will be conducted by Sebastian Weigle, while maestro Peter Schneider will be in charge of Tristan und Isolde [Sept. 6]. All opera will be given in concert (thanks to Mei for this precision).
Note that The Flying Dutchman will be premiered in Bayreuth in July 2012, in a new production directed by Sebastian Nübling.

For the Liceu subscribers the ticket sales will begin on May 30  2011, and on September 19  2011, for us - ordinary folks.

Props are due to the Liceu artistic director, Mr. Joan Matabosch.

This article also states that the trip to Barcelona will be the third time the Bayreuth Festival travels outside Germany: 1st time it was to Liceu in 1955, and 2nd to Osaka-Expo in 1970.

Wim Wenders to direct The Ring in Bayreuth 2013

After so much talk and speculation on who will direct the bicentenary Ring in Bayreuth 2013, we just learned that the famous film director --author of Wings of desire-- Wim Wenders  accepted this difficult but passionate job.

 Good luck!

I should remind you that the conductor name has been known for quite a while -- Kirill Petrenko.

Opera Festivals 2010: Aix does it better

And so the Summer of Opera Festivals 2010 is over. It's been good even if somewhat surprising that the most interesting things happened in July (and not in August).

General impression: There are far too many festivals. Many city mayors across Europe support the Opera Festivals financially because they are good for their (cities') image, it's a bonus for tourism, it helps creating some jobs...
I want to believe that quantity implies a few quality productions every year, although this year wasn't particularly good example (except perhaps in Aix).

I believe the (main) purpose of Opera Festivals should be to propose new stuff, to define new directions in performing and staging the well known operas, and to bring to our attention good contemporary operas as well. It's hard to counter-punch that argument without questioning the artistic purpose of Opera Festivals altogether: one may as well extend the standard operatic season and include a couple of more operas in your usual Opera Houses and pretend they were success!

I am perfectly aware that matching the artistic intentions with your financial capacities is very hard, but that's what distinguishes good from mediocre Festival directors, i.e. good from mediocre festivals.

With that in mind,  The Best Festival 2010 was undoubtedly the one in Aix-en-Province:

Bayreuth 2010: Die Walküre - Webcast, Saturday, August 21st

Just to remind you that Die Walküre will be live broadcast from Bayreuth next Saturday, August 21 starting from 16:00 (cet).

You can see the details on this link.
Basically, you need a good internet connection and you should buy a ticket [14,90€] and then you can see the show live and as many times you wish until September 5. The production is directed by Tankred Dorst and is not good but the orchestra and singing are good, so...

The story behind this production is that Lars von Trier (fave!!!) was supposed to direct this Ring --which would have been his first opera-- but at the very last moment he declined to do it, leaving the direction of the Bayreuth Festival in a complete and total panic. Dorst saved the day with his instant-made production, so I don't want to be too harsh and say what I really think about his show ;)

Now, is it worth your 15€/ticket? I believe it is (especially if you can share it with somebody!):  Christian Thielemann knows his Ring very well and even though you won't be able to feel the depth of the sound you'd have experienced if you were in auditorium, his Ring is still very special. Plus it's well sung. Finally Die Walküre is always better to listen to while watching it too [even if Tankred Dorst directed it;)] Another reason (admittedly half-lame!) is that the same show will be edited and released on DVD early next year and will cost ~40€...

Bayreuth 2010: More pics, more info [Taff!]

I am still to blog/review  Dionysos and Parsifal, but since I have a zillion things to do while here...

In this entry I pack up  some photos and info/rumors I collected in Bayreuth 10 days ago.

This is how the theater and its surroundings look on a sunny day. What surprises me always --when talking to German wagnerophiles-- is the way they perceive this Festival: They still see it as a "popular" event, while on the site it looks just the opposite to popular, i.e. ultra-bourgeois. It's charming and very pleasant, but popular definitely not!

Lohengrin opens Bayreuth Festival today: Is Hans Neuenfels channeling Art Spiegelman?

Lohengrin is essentially a story about how to manipulate people, how to play with their customs, their culture and tradition, with their social order, and with their emotions. Stefan Herheim's production of Lohengrin at the Staatsoper in Berlin was to me the best Lohengrin I could see so far. The event was extra-special as Klaus Florian Vogt made a perfect match for Herheim's Lohengrin and was impeccable vocally. Dorothea Röschmann added her wonderful Elsa, and Michaela Schuster delivered a wickedly clever Ortrud [yes, in Herheim's Lohengrin Ortrud sees the manipulator in Lohengrin right from the beginning.]

Other memorable Lohengrin we could see last year was the Richard Jones' production for the Bayrische Staatsoper that you can find on DVD. The production is unusual and exciting but the concept simply didn't work for me. There,  Jonas Kaufmann was a brilliant Lohengrin and the hype before the show was entirely focused on him. The surprise, however, was Anja Harteros' Elsa who not only stole the show but blew away everyone in that production, including Kaufmann. That was one of the most amazing singing by a woman I've ever seen in any opera house.

Yummy cakes from Dalloyau in Paris (the first two choc-cakes are the Opera Cake and Opera 20-10)

Today is the opening day of the Festival in Bayreuth and --as I already mentioned several times-- it will be live broadcast via BR-Klassik starting from 16:00  (cet) on this link. See also this link to consult the cast members list. Kaufmann should shine 1000 colors today, but I expect a lot especially from Andris Nelsons.

Intermezzo posted a dozen of pics from the final dress rehearsal on her blog today, which lead me to believe that Neuenfels has taken Art Spiegelman-ian view on Brabant. A suivre...

I need one ticket for the third show - August 6.  
Huge thanks in advance to anyone who could help!

New pics below

Et pendant ce temps-là à Bayreuth...

The end of the Festivals in Aix and in Munich is the sign that the Bayreuther Festspiele is just around the corner. It will open on July 25 (Sunday) with a new production of Lohengrin, which we can listen to via Radio BR-Klassik. The broadcast will begin at 4 pm (cet) on this link. Full information about the broadcast dates from Bayreuth and from Salzburg can be found here.

Stefan Herheim, Parsifal - rehearsal July 20, 2010

In Bayreuth the rehearsals are all over the place and everything is getting ready for the big Sunday opening. In particular the smashing production of Parsifal by Stefan Herheim will see its second revival (one of the best shows I've ever seen!) and a short video shot during a rehearsal can be found on this link.

Broadcast from Salzburg and Bayreuth

Like every year, this year's 'important' festivals are those in Glyndebourne, Aix, Munich, Bayreuth and Salzburg (OK the one in Bregenz is apparently wonderful too, which I'll hopefully see a bit this year).

I very much enjoyed the Salzburger Festspiele last year and decided to return next August for about a week long stay. One of the cool things in Salzburg is that Siemens install a huge screen on the main town-square and practically every evening they show one opera for free to all the tourists and locals in town. Of course the sausages, brezels and beers are all over the place too. ;)
If you plan to go to Salzburg this summer, here is the program of free operas to see on the Town Square. Note in particular that the new production of Lulu will be live broadcast on August 1st at 8 pm (cet).

If you cannot make it to Salzburg or Bayreuth, one opera of each of the two festivals will be live broadcast via Siemens website. Last year I saw the premiere of Cosi fan tutte on that site, before actually going to Salzburg, and the quality was impeccable. You should just buy a ticket prior to the webcast,  which then allows you to see the show live and as many times as you want within 30 days following the live broadcast. They also provide you with libretto in three languages... They will update their website sometimes next week and if you're interested check out here.
The two operas to be broadcast this year are:

1. SALZBURG: Lulu on August 1st, at 20:00 19:00 (cet)*. This new production should be good not only because Vera Nemirova will direct it but also because Patricia Petibon will sing the title role. If you can see it live in Salzburg it should be great because it will take place in the Felsenreitschule which is very wide but not too deep a theater, so wherever you're seated you're always near the stage.
2. BAYREUTH: Die Walküre on August 21 at 16:00 (cet). I didn't see the Tankred Dorst's show (not my fave director), but I bet it will be very well sung. Christian Thielemann conducting the brilliant Bayreuther orchestra must be a treat too (this Ring from Bayreuth is released on CD, I listened to it several times and it's very good, imho)

* Just received a mail from Salzburger Festspiele saying:

Please be informed that all performances of Lulu will begin one hour earlier than previously planned (at 7.p.m. instead of 8.p.m.) due to the scheduled performance duration of 4 hrs. including 2 intervals.

 The longer duration of the performance is a result of our decision to present a version which includes a third act created by Friedrich Cerha.

Moreover...

Souvenirs from Bayreuth 2009 (1)

Whatever is the good thing you've heard about the Opera Festival in Bayreuth, it is true. ;) 

It's a special experience, and if you're a Wagner fan you really take heaps of pleasure. You may think the adventure is just a money-drainer but it's less than you probably expect it to be. 

The only major expense is of course the ticket for one of the operas. I think the myth of it being dreadfully expensive is due to the risk you take by going to Bayreuth without opera tickets: It may easily happen that you pay for your trip, hotel and what-not, and then you spend 4-5-6 hours a day waiting in front of the Festspielehaus' box-office without ever getting to see to see even 1 Act of any opera. When I say that I assume you didn't wait for 10-15 years to get the famous tickets (I wouldn't have that kind of patience...) 

Let's face it: It is kinda crazy to go to Bayreuth and hope someone would return his tic on the day you're standing in front of the box-office and you'll be the lucky one to get it. That's why nobody wanted to go with me, but I'm living proof that the risk can pay off: I've spent three days in Bayreuth and saw three operas (well, 2 and a half). 

I collected here some photos that might bring you a bit of Bayreuther-Summer-2009 atmosphere, and maybe even encourage you to go and feel the Green Hill  yourselves.

Approaching the legendary theater (Festspielhaus) is fun. You see the street signs such as "Meistersingerstrasse", "Nibelungstrasse"... The long street leading to theater is called "Siegfried Wagner Allee". If you're a Wagner fan it's cool :)


In a pretty park, right in front of the Festspielhaus, you can't miss the busts of Richard and Cosima Wagner. In a park adjacent to the Festspiel-complex there is also a bust of Franz Liszt.

Souvenirs from Bayreuth 2009 (2)

Intermissions  are 1 hour long each, but very pleasant. You should keep in mind that this is a significant social event for rich Germans. Well, not only Germans.

Bayreuth 2010

An hour ago the Opera Festival in Bayreuth web site announced the full cast for this year's festival

Rock français en anglais à Bayreuth

 Théorème : La musique populaire française qui date après 1980 est une catastrophe [tout est à jeter!]

Je dois préciser que dans la musique populaire je ne compte pas le french touch électronique, et le rock non plus. En effet, le rock français sait surprendre : c'est rare, mais ça arrive :)
Une telle récente surprise c'etait le groupe Phenix qui a produit le clip pour leur chanson Lisztomania entièrement à Bayreuth --> c'est pourquoi j'en parle ici:



Enjoy!