Guest Post: The Bayreuth Experience by Douglas Blackstone
This past June an old friend of mine had got to the point in his bucket list where he wanted to see Wagner’s Ring at Bayreuth in Northern Bavaria, home of Wagner’s famous Festspielhaus. He was taking his son and his nephew to accompany him. I had actually been to Bayreuth many years ago as a young man, and I wished him well.
A few weeks later, he phoned me to say his son had decided not to go and would I take his place! I had already told him that the music would be the best he will hear, but the productions are embarrassing, but who would turn this offer down?!
Wanfried
So I went. We spent 10 days in Bayreuth and saw 6 operas, The Ring, plus Tristan, and Parsifal. There were a few days in between here and there in which we explored the town, to include the Wagner Museum at his house Wanfried (a must!), and the wonderful Steingraeber Piano Factory, where only 100 beautiful hand-made pianos are made and sold per year. There is also a gorgeous wooded park nearby where one can happily while away a few hours a day.
None of this is near the Festspielhaus, which is a good 20 minutes’ drive by coach, which the hotels happily provide. They leave your hotel at 3:00 to get to the theater for the 4:00 start of the operas. (Rheingold is the only exception, starting at 6:00, as it is 2½ hours long without intermission. More on that later!) The theater is on a lovely hill surrounded by a park of its own, and attendees congregate around the grounds to show off their finery. Everyone dresses up! – Tuxedos! and Beautiful long and flowing dresses. Photographers snapping away! This is all part of the Experience, and it is fun.
But what I will remember most is the music. The “Festival Orchestra” is made up of the finest players in all of Germany and perhaps beyond. I have yet to hear such wonderful playing, enhanced by the stunning acoustics of the auditorium. This is all Wagner’s original design. The orchestra is hidden and extends below the stage. There is a canopy that reaches up to about 3 feet to the level of the stage, so there is a glow from the pit, but one doesn’t see the conductor or the musicians; there is no applause; it is quiet in the sold-out hall; and the music just begins.
And in the end, that is enough. The productions – what you see on stage – are shocking and, in my opinion, a disgrace, particularly the Ring. For an in-depth review with photos, visit here.
What to know: Tickets are expensive but available. There used to be a years-long waiting list, particularly for the Ring and Meistersinger; not so much for the other operas. Obviously, the sooner the better for choice. Our houses were full by curtain time. One can order online at Wagneropera.net.
The Auditorium of the Festspielhaus is not air conditioned, and it gets hot. One can have hand held fans (not motorized!) The seating is the same for all seats. The higher priced tickets are in the front rows in the center.
There are no aisles. Patrons enter from side doors that serve particular rows. The rows are narrow, and it appears tradition for everyone to stand until everyone is in. There is no entry or exit after the doors close (unless emergency – and there was a heat exhaustion emergency during Rhinegold!)
The seats are hard and narrow, but cushions are offered free! Be sure to get them. The bathrooms have been modernized and are large, clean, and air conditioned!
The intermissions between acts are an hour long and one can stroll in the gardens and grab a glass of Champagne or whatever you want, from reserved tables to standing in a queue for an ice cream cone.
And that’s it! It’s a singular experience of a lifetime – particularly if one is a Wagner fan. The current director of the Bayreuth Festival is Katharina Wagner – Richard Wagner’s Great Grand Daughter. I fail to understand how she feels these productions honor his legacy. But I wouldn’t have missed it for the World.
– Douglas Blackstone
Douglas Blackstone, M.M., J.D., recently retired as Director of the Odyssey Program at JHU, and from 1987-97, was principal horn and later, manager of the National Symphony Orchestra of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
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