1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
German coalition collapseDonald TrumpCOP29

Did you miss Bayreuth? No problem!

September 25, 2012

A festival steeped in tradition tests new waters, opens up to the future and increasingly reveals the past. Richard Wagner continues to excite, polarize and generate debate. Here are the highlights of the 2012 season.

https://p.dw.com/p/16DwU
A scene from this year's 'The Flying Dutchman' Copyright: Bayreuther Festspiele/Enrico Nawrath
Image: Bayreuther Festspiele/Enrico Nawrath

The 101st Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth opened on July 25, 2012 with a new production of "The Flying Dutchman" under the musical direction of Christian Thielemann, with stage direction by Jan Philipp Gloger. South Korean bass-baritone Samuel Youn gave his debut on the "Green Hill" in the title role. Until August 28, Wagnerians bumped shoulders with political, cultural and business celebrities at the festival that presents only works by Richard Wagner. And once again, the Bayreuth Festival gave special attention to youth, with the "Wagner for Children" project staging a version of "The Mastersingers of Nuremberg" for younger audiences. As in every year, there was a great deal of discussion about the future of the festival.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Evgeny Nikitin in the Flying Dutchman in St. Petersburg

What's behind the Nikitin affair?

What's in a rune? Depends on the symbol - and where it's shown
July 23, 2012
external

Parsifal at a Theater near You!

Seine Opern sollen für alle da sein - diesen Wunsch hatte Richard Wagner bereits zu Lebzeiten. Die Realität sieht allerdings anders aus: Wer nicht über Rang und Namen verfügt, muss in der Regel eine jahrlange Wartezeit in Kauf nehmen. Die Bayreuther Festspiele - eine geschlossene Veranstaltung. Bislang.
LifestyleAugust 18, 201204:27 min
A bust of Richard Wagner by Arno Breker set against the sky

Silenced voices

A current exhibition in Bayreuth explores the Wagner family's tradition of anti-Semitism.
July 25, 2012
"The Flying Dutchman" ensemble on stage

Missing the mark

An uninspired production of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" opens the Bayreuth Festival.
July 26, 2012
Director Jan Philipp Gloger

'Modestly modern'

Stage director Jan Philipp Gloger talks about his Bayreuth debut with "The Flying Dutchman."
July 27, 2012
Bass baritone Samuel Youn in front of the Bayreuth Festival building

Settling up

DW spoke with Samuel Youn, sang the title role in Bayreuth's 'The Flying Dutchman.'
August 3, 2012