Around the Music Festival

The German Bayreuth Festival has announced a long-term illness for general director Katharina Wagner. The name of the disease and the period have not been announced.

Katharina is now 41 years old. She is the daughter of Wolfgang Wagner, who managed the post-war festival. Born between him and his second wife, she is the great-granddaughter of composer Richard Wagner.

She took over the music festival with her half-sister Eva Wagner-Pasquier since 2008 after the death of Wolfgang Wagner.

However, since 2015 only she has been the general director of the festival. The term has been extended to 2025 this year.

The festival was scheduled to begin a new production of “The Ring of the Nibelung” this year, but the music festival itself was canceled due to the spread of the new coronavirus.

Heinz Dieter Sense will take over the duties of the general manager for the time being.

Photo：Bayreuther Festspiele　/　imago　/　Peter Kolb