GERMANY 25 July 2008 This Bayreuth Festival the swan song for Wagner grandson

The Bayreuth Festival, which celebrates the music of Richard Wagner, opens on 25 Jul for the last time under the direction of his grandson. Wolfgang Wagner plans to retire on Aug 31, the day after his 89th birthday. Wagner has been in charge of Bayreuth, which was founded in 1876 by his grandfather, since 1951. His resignation as director of the festival held annually in the town of Bayreuth exacerbates a decades-old family feud involving the famed composer's great-granddaughters.

Candidates for the job face competition from Wolfgang's two daughters. The festival board ordered Wagner to hand over to daughter Eva Wagner-Pasquier in 2001, but she and her father are not on speaking terms. She also has a strained relationship with her half-sisterm Katharina Wagner, so Wolfgang's idea that the two women could run the festival jointly is not considered feasible. His idea that either his wife Gudrun or Katharina could run the festival is also given the thumbs down by the Bayreuth board.

Founded in 1876 by Richard Wagner, the festival has become a legend. Performances are sold out years in advance.

Wolfgang took over in Bayreuth with his brother Wieland. They rebuilt the festival's reputation in the aftermath of World War II. When Wieland died in 1966, Wolfgang became sole artistic director. He's overseen 1,600 productions at Bayreuth and personally directed 12.

Performances take place in a specially designed theatre, the Festspielhaus, which was designed and constructed under Richard Wagner's personal supervision. May/08

RELATED READING:

Bayreuth Festival's Wolfgang Wagner to retire (DW 29 Apr 2008)
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3301199,00.html