I am a great lover of Wagner's works who would not even consider going anywhere near Bayreuth. The productions are unwatchable, and not worth the cost of going there.
I find that you are unduly harsh and one-sided about the productions at Bayreuth and Regietheater in general. No composer or librettist is more open to interpretation and re-interpretation than Wagner. He did not write hermetically sealed scores and librettos. He wrote about the great emotions and conflicts of life and society, placing them at first in a mythical milieu, but allowing their truths to be released to a broader spectrum of interpretation that would resonate with future generations. You fail to mention that directors you now laud, such as Patrice Chereau, were vilified for their Wagner productions, physically attacked on the street. Now, of course, you admire those pioneers.
As far as Regietheater goes, Barrie Kosky's recent production of Der Meistersinger in Bayreuth is the most brilliant version of that work I have ever seen. Stefan Herheim's production of Parsifal was also brilliant and different. Yuval Sharon's production of Lohengrin rejuvenated that work. Bayreuth may be taking chances, but being on the cutting edge can create great things. Wagner's work is too vibrant and relevant to be treated as a museum piece.
There is no such thing as Regietheater. As a term it is delusional and confusing. It means different things to different people. That’s why I never use the term. What you have is : good stagecraft/directing and dilettantism. Good stagecraft/directing presupposes a director who understands the spiritual core of the piece and tries to convey it to the public in a personal way. That way the music, as carrier of the spiritual load, is reinforced by the staging which is the ideal situation. This is what makes audiences happy. Dilettantism is everything that does not comply or goes against this rule. You will find dilettantism in conservative productions as well as in quirky productions.
I always was an admirer of Chéreau. The loonies that tried to shut him up in 1976 are the same loonies that curse the so-called Regietheater of today. There are no bad directors. Only bad productions. And every director has a bad day. There are no general rules. Every production has to be analysed on a project by project basis, free of bias, in accordance with your own sensibilities.
Thank you for pointing out what many of us have felt for decades.
I am a great lover of Wagner's works who would not even consider going anywhere near Bayreuth. The productions are unwatchable, and not worth the cost of going there.
Thank you so much for posting.
Wieland is very much missed!!!
I find that you are unduly harsh and one-sided about the productions at Bayreuth and Regietheater in general. No composer or librettist is more open to interpretation and re-interpretation than Wagner. He did not write hermetically sealed scores and librettos. He wrote about the great emotions and conflicts of life and society, placing them at first in a mythical milieu, but allowing their truths to be released to a broader spectrum of interpretation that would resonate with future generations. You fail to mention that directors you now laud, such as Patrice Chereau, were vilified for their Wagner productions, physically attacked on the street. Now, of course, you admire those pioneers.
As far as Regietheater goes, Barrie Kosky's recent production of Der Meistersinger in Bayreuth is the most brilliant version of that work I have ever seen. Stefan Herheim's production of Parsifal was also brilliant and different. Yuval Sharon's production of Lohengrin rejuvenated that work. Bayreuth may be taking chances, but being on the cutting edge can create great things. Wagner's work is too vibrant and relevant to be treated as a museum piece.
There is no such thing as Regietheater. As a term it is delusional and confusing. It means different things to different people. That’s why I never use the term. What you have is : good stagecraft/directing and dilettantism. Good stagecraft/directing presupposes a director who understands the spiritual core of the piece and tries to convey it to the public in a personal way. That way the music, as carrier of the spiritual load, is reinforced by the staging which is the ideal situation. This is what makes audiences happy. Dilettantism is everything that does not comply or goes against this rule. You will find dilettantism in conservative productions as well as in quirky productions.
I always was an admirer of Chéreau. The loonies that tried to shut him up in 1976 are the same loonies that curse the so-called Regietheater of today. There are no bad directors. Only bad productions. And every director has a bad day. There are no general rules. Every production has to be analysed on a project by project basis, free of bias, in accordance with your own sensibilities.