Minister of Arts Bernd Sibler welcomes the decision of the General Meeting of Bayreuth Festival GmbH to appoint her as Festival Director for another 5 years – “Continuation of the successful work on the Green Hill”
MUNICH. Prof. Katharina Wagner is to remain head of Bayreuth Festival for another five years. The committees of Bayreuth Festival GmbH today in Nuremberg voted in favor of her re-appointment as Festival Director. Minister of Arts Bernd Sibler welcomes this decision. “With Katharina Wagner, the unique tradition that the leadership of Bayreuth Festival has been with the family of the great composer Richard Wagner for over 140 years is preserved! In the past eleven years, Katharina Wagner, as Festival Director, has consistently and artistically developed the Richard Wagner Festival. I am extremely pleased that Ms. Wagner can continue her successful work on the Green Hill”, emphasized the Minister.
Prof. Katharina Wagner took over the festival management in 2008 together with her half-sister Eva Wagner-Pasquier. Since 2015, she has been the sole festival director of Bayreuth Festival. In addition to the core of the festival, the performance of Richard Wagner’s ten main works, Prof. Katharina Wagner has also established the annual children’s opera and the “Diskurs Bayreuth” series as part of the festival’s supporting program, where Richard Wagner’s work is explored in concerts, staged productions, and discussion events.
Prof. Katharina Wagner emphasized: “I am very pleased to be able to continuously continue and develop my work for Bayreuth Festival over the next 5 years. I thank the four shareholders of Festspiele GmbH for their trust.”
Bayreuth’s Mayor Brigitte Merk-Erbe on the re-appointment of Prof. Wagner as Festival Director: “With Katharina Wagner, it is ensured for the coming years that Bayreuth Festival will be represented and led by a member of the Wagner family. Such continuity across generations is probably unique worldwide.”
The contract between the company and Prof. Katharina Wagner is to be signed shortly.
Source: Press Release No. 272 of November 15, 2019 from the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art / Julia Graf, Deputy Press Spokesperson, 089 2186 2621