Bayreuth
Bayreuth
The annual Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, Germany (Bayreuther Festspiele) is held each summer from the end of July through August. Attending the Festspiele is a goal for many devoted Wagnerians. Experiencing Wagner’s works in the theater that he himself designed, hearing his music the way he wanted it heard, and soaking in the ambience of the “Green Hill” and the town of Bayreuth where he built his dream, are important events in the lives of many avid Wagnerians.
Although schedules vary by year, the Festpiele generally features seven works by Wagner chosen from his 10 mature works. Although in 2026 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Festpiele, Rienzi will be added to the repertory for the first time. New productions are generally revived for 5 years before being retired. This allows for a continual refreshing of the repertory.
As a member of the Richard-Wagner-Verband-International, the official worldwide association of Wagner Societies, The Wagner Society of Northern California have in the past been able to offer packages of tickets to the Festpiele to our members. This has been a very popular benefit of membership for over 30 years. However, the Festspiele management can change the way tickets are allocated each year without notice. If we receive our traditional allotment, tickets will be allocated to interested members according to a system of rotation designed to allow each member an equal opportunity to make the Bayreuth “pilgrimage.” A member’s “priority date” is the date the member first joined the Society or last attended the Festpiele. Information for the coming year is generally sent to all members in September with detailed booking instructions. These can vary year to year, due to possible changes in procedures made by the Festpiele management.