The Bayreuth Festspielhaus (Bayreuth Festival Theatre) is an opera house built to the north of the town of Bayreuth in Germany, dedicated to the performance of Richard Wagner's operas. An opera house is a building where operas are performed. ... Bayreuth is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Frankish Alb and the Fichtelgebirge. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 in Leipzig – February 13, 1883 in Venice) was an influential German composer, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his groundbreaking symphonic-operas (or music dramas). His compositions are notable for their continuous contrapuntal texture, rich harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate use... The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ...

Bayreuth Festspielhaus

It was designed and built under Wagner's supervision, and its construction was principally funded by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was first opened for the premiere of the complete four-opera cycle of Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelungs), from 13 August to 17 August 1876. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1750x1311, 1139 KB)Festspielhaus Bayreuth, 2005 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1750x1311, 1139 KB)Festspielhaus Bayreuth, 2005 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Ludwig II of Bavaria Ludwig (Louis) II, King of Bavaria, Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm, also known as Ludwig the Mad (August 25, 1845 - June 13, 1886) was king of Bavaria from 1864 until his death. ... With an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Der Ring des Nibelungen or, translated commonly as The Ring of the Nibelungen into English but more correctly as The Nibelungs Ring, is a series of four epic operas. ... August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

The Festspielhaus is the venue of the annual Richard Wagner Festival, during which Wagner's operas, such as the Ring and Parsifal, are given on a repertory basis. The festival draws thousands of opera fans to Bayreuth every summer. It is very difficult to get tickets, because demand greatly exceeds supply; the waiting time is usually seven or eight years. Parsifal is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. ...

A new production of the Ring is presented every 5-7 years, following a year in which no Ring is presented. In years in which there is a Ring, three other operas are presented. When no Ring is presented, five other operas are presented. The next production of the Ring will premiere in 2006.

Bibliography

• Spotts, Frederic, Bayreuth: A History of the Wagner Festival, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1994.