The Bayreuth Festspielhaus is one of the most famous opera houses in the world and the only theatre built specifically for the work of a single composer. Richard Wagner had the house built between 1872 and 1876 according to his own revolutionary ideas — with the sunken invisible orchestra pit (mystic abyss), the amphitheatre seating arrangement without boxes or central aisle, and the famous Bayreuth acoustic that fuses voices and orchestra incomparably. The Bayreuth Festival has taken place every summer since the 1876 opening with Der Ring des Nibelungen and is the most prestigious opera festival in the world. Historical waiting times for tickets were up to ten years. The house is used exclusively in summer and stands empty the rest of the year. Artistic direction lies traditionally in the hands of the Wagner family; currently Katharina Wagner, Richard's great-granddaughter, leads the festival.
Wagner financed the construction primarily through a royal donation from his patron Ludwig II of Bavaria and through Wagner societies throughout Europe that raised money for the idea of a pure Wagner theatre.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Bayreuth, Germany
- Address
- Festspielhügel 1-2, 95445 Bayreuth
More venues in Bayreuth
- Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth · Opera house, Bayreuth
More venues in Germany
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