The Richard Wagner Foundation Bayreuth has been the owner of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and its ancillary buildings (rehearsal stages, workshops, restaurant) since 1973. It leases these properties to Bayreuther Festspiele GmbH, founded in 1985.
Shareholders’ Meeting
of Bayreuther Festspiele GmbH
Ministerialrat Bernd Gallep, Representative of the Federal Government for Culture and Media, Chairman
Dr. Georg Freiherr von Waldenfels, Gesellschaft der Freunde von Bayreuth e.V.
Lord Mayor Thomas Ebersberger, City of Bayreuth
Ministerialrat Dr. Rupert Dörfler, Bavarian State Ministry of Finance and for Home Affairs,
Shareholders and their shares:
Administrative Board of Bayreuth Festival GmbH
Dr. Georg Freiherr von Waldenfels, Gesellschaft der Freunde von Bayreuth e.V., Chairman
Ministerialdirigentin Angelika Kaus, Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Arts
Ingo Mix, Representative of the Federal Government for Culture and Media
Ministerialrätin Milena Rudolph, Representative of the Federal Government for Culture and Media
Ministerialrätin Dr. Katrin Mattern, Bavarian State Ministry of Finance and for Home Affairs
Ina Besser-Eichler, Gesellschaft der Freunde von Bayreuth e.V.
Lord Mayor Thomas Ebersberger, City of Bayreuth
Eva Christina Bär, City of Bayreuth
BF Medien GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bayreuther Festspiele GmbH. It was founded in 2008 to make Richard Wagner’s works performed here accessible to everyone interested. Each year, BF Medien GmbH produces an audiovisual recording of a production, which is broadcast live on television and in cinemas and released on Blu-ray/DVD. Furthermore, in collaboration with other partners, it carries out additional projects as part of the Festival.
Richard Wagner’s original idea of operating the Festival as a private enterprise proved unsustainable even in its early years. Only with the public sector’s commitment to the Bayreuth Festival in 1953 has its annual staging been secured ever since.
The budget of Bayreuth Festival amounts to approximately 27.751 million Euros this year. Funding is regulated according to the company’s shares.
Total Budget
Total Budget 2024: approx. 27.751 million Euros (excluding renovation costs)
Public Subsidies:
Federal Republic of Germany approx. 3.9 million Euros
Free State of Bavaria approx. 3.9 million Euros
City of Bayreuth approx. 1.524 million Euros
District of Upper Franconia 413,000 Euros (as a voluntary contribution)
Subsidy from Gesellschaft der Freunde von Bayreuth e.V. approx. 2.4 million Euros
Total subsidies: approx. 12.137 million Euros
The share of subsidies in the total budget is approx. 44%, that of the public sector approx. 35%.
Further information at: www.bundesanzeiger.de and www.unternehmensregister.de