Marking the 150th anniversary of Wagner’s Ring with a production that merely recycles and morphs imagery from the festival’s history settled for far less than what it might have been. My thoughts @LimelightArtsAu: limelight-arts.com.au/reviews/der-...

★★ ½ Der Ring des Nibelungen (Bayreuth Festival)

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The journey home from Bayreuth (Heinersreuth) was stressful but went according to plan — 🚕Alt 394.7 to Bayreuth, @DB_Bahn 🚌 & 🚆Bayreuth-Ingolstadt, 🚌 X108 Ingolstadt-MUC, @ThaiAirways ✈️ TG925 MUC-BKK & TG461 BKK-MEL, @skybus_aus 🚌 and @yarratrams 🚃 75. Smack on 30 hours!

Curtain call for the final evening of the @WagnerFestival Ring looked much the same as every other night — except, when then creatives made their presence, an eruption of boos boomed out like I’d never experienced before. Exceptional music, excellent cast, however!

The final instalment of the @WagnerFestival Ring 10010110 — From Myth to Code, Götterdämmerung. Are there any surprises to come with Curator Marcus Lobbes’ artistic concept?

Today’s streetscape view — completing the week in Bayreuth with stroll along Richard-Wagner-Strasse before @WagnerFestival’s conclusion of The Ring this arvo.

Today’s streetscape view — midday stroll along Sophienstrasse, one of Bayreuth’s curving, quaint charms.

Curtain calls look pretty much the same every night at the @WagnerFestival Ring. At tonight’s Siegfried, Michael Volle’s Wotan & Gerhard Siegel’s Mime stood out as the most convincingly drawn characters. Sadly, Camilla Nylund & Klaus Florian Vogt’s final duet was underwhelming.

Curator Marcus Lobbes and his kaleidoscopic AI intrusions continue on with @WagnerFestival’s Siegfried this afternoon. Klaus Florian Vogt in the title role — quite a remarkable feat in adding the role to his performance of Loge in Das Rheingold and Siegmund in Die Walküre.

Today’s streetscape view — on the approach to @WagnerFestival’s Festspielhaus on Bürgerreutherstrasse.

Today marked the only swimming day so far since being away — a satisfying 2km at SVB Hallenbad, Bayreuth. But it turns out it’s the last day of operation for the summer for this great 50m indoor pool. Outdoor option at Kreuzsteinbad just doesn’t appeal.,

Today’s streetscape view — seemingly randomly plonked, boxy-gabled forms on Bayreuth’s Badstrasse. Badass and cute as!

Defying a relentless distraction of AI-generated imagery, Christian Thielemann is doing a splendid job of elevating Wagner’s music, with tonight’s cast of @WagnerFestival’s Die Walküre in fine form, led by Michael Volle’s powerful, nuanced and text-attentive performance as Wotan.

Onto the second part of the @WagnerFestival 150th anniversary production of The Ring with Die Walküre coming up. On paper, it’s a smashing cast! With AI, who knows!

A compelling new production of Rienzi finds contemporary resonance without sacrificing the grandeur of Wagner's early vision in a first for @WagnerFestival. My thoughts @LimelightArtsAu: limelight-arts.com.au/reviews/rien...

★★★★ Rienzi (Bayreuth Festival)

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A compelling new production of Rienzi finds contemporary resonance without sacrificing the grandeur of Wagner's early vision in a first for @WagnerFestival. My thoughts @LimelightArtsAu: limelight-arts.com.au/reviews/rien...

★★★★ Rienzi (Bayreuth Festival)

Read the Limelight review.

limelight-arts.com.au

Nothing more than a concert performance dressed in AI, so far, with Das Rheingold — despite its musical excellence — the Bayreuth Festival 150th anniversary Ring production appears to prioritize its status as a historical milestone over aesthetic and dramatic substance.

Some relief here as the heat has come off Bayreuth for the 150th anniversary of Wagner’s Ring. Now, it would appear AI will be doing some work as Das Rheingold gets underway.

Today’s streetscape view — outside Bayreuth’s town limits on Heinersreuth’s main street, Bayreutherstrasse, where it’s home away from home for a week during the @WagnerFestival.

I might never see another staged performance of Rienzi so, thankfully, a compelling, history-making production at @WagnerFestival gave me this rarest chance, led by a trio of formidable artists — Andreas Schager (Rienzi), Gabriela Scherer (Irene) and Jennifer Holloway (Adriano).

Coming up, a landmark event at Bayreuth’s @WagnerFestival with the staging of Wagner’s Rienzi for the first time — Alexandra Szemerédy and Magdolna Parditka directing with Nathalie Stutzmann conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra.

Today’s streetscape view — sunny arrival on Bayreuth’s Bahnhofstrasse following a night in Nuremberg. One week of Wagner’s music dramas about to begin!

Coming up after 48hrs in London, @lufthansa VL905 LHR-MUC. Nothing but some fun and adventure with my nephew’s kiddies.

Coming up, @qantas QF37 MEL-SIN and hopefully SIN-LHR following that. London-bound for a lightning visit to see my nephew and his family then onto Bayreuth!

Little player Lyster Opera’s The Merry Wives of Windsor by Otto Nicolai is well worth the ticket for the chance to get up close to the depth of talent and the inner workings of opera’s grassroots world. My thoughts at #AustArtsReview: artsreview.com.au/the-merry-wi...

A shoestring-budget production that confidently laces together voices, music and design, Lyster Opera’s presentation of Otto Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor makes for a rewarding, entertaining experience of its source material.

After more than 40 years of opera, always another first. This time, German composer Otto Nicolai’s 1849-premiered The Merry Wives of Winsdor, here @cityofmelbourne’s Irene Mitchell Studio, South Yarra.

Today’s streetscape view — impressive stuff facing the tramlines of @cityofmelbourne’s Park Street, South Yarra.

Today’s streetscape view — incorporated a spot of lunch at Bon Ap' Petit Bistro matched with the groove of @YarraCouncil’s Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.

Today’s streetscape view — the short stretch of #CityofGlenEira’s Derby Road, Caulfield, at the terminus of @yarratrams Route 3 and @metrotrains’ Caulfield Station.

Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Victoria’s Patience might suffer from a short season but it has a long list of sparkling attributes keeping up the inimitable G&S spirit — and it is entirely worth getting in quickly to chuckle along with it. artsreview.com.au/patience-or-...