More than 200 children at the Action Day on the Green Hill
Today’s Fair Play Action Day on Thursday, May 6, 2010, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the Festspielhaus foyer, was once again a complete success: More than 200 children took the opportunity not only to present their costume designs to the high-profile jury, including Festival Director Katharina Wagner and actress and Wagner fan Marion Kracht, but above all to unleash their creativity on the Green Hill. For example, the company Wöhrl offered the unique opportunity to design one’s own T-shirt, and comic artist Klaus Häring created characteristic quick sketches of children aged 6 to 12. Audi AG, main sponsor of Bayreuth Festival and the children’s opera, equipped the enthusiastic young opera fans with backpacks, baseball caps, and other play materials.
The jury – which, in addition to Katharina Wagner and Marion Kracht, included Michael Mühlenbrock from the Fair Play Foundation, children’s opera director Reyna Bruns, children’s opera set designer Lea Walloschke, and head of set design Monika Gora – praised the imaginative and versatile costumes and thanked the teachers and school principals from Münster, Cologne, Berlin, Forchheim, and Langenzenn for their incredible dedication. Jürgen Bachmann, Head of Cultural Affairs at Audi AG, emphasized the importance of the children’s opera with his welcoming statement: “It’s incredible to see what you have all achieved here – and incredibly reassuring. Because you are our future!”
Accordingly, making today’s decision was difficult for the jury. Nevertheless, a winner was announced promptly at 4:30 PM: The Nelson Mandela School from Berlin scored not only with its elaborate presentation form but, above all, with its wealth of ideas. A special prize went to the participating schools of Ehrenbürggymnasium Forchheim for the submitted fantasy costumes, which play a role in the third act of the children’s opera. However, the jury decided to realize at least one design for the fantasy costumes from the material submitted by all schools.
The children’s excitement remains, as they await which costume they will truly experience at the premiere on July 25, 2010, at the end of the children’s opera on rehearsal stage IV of Bayreuth Festival.