The supporting program of Bayreuth Festival starts with the online discussion series “Hier gilt’s der Kunst” and the video performance “The Loop of the Nibelung” by Simon Steen-Andersen.
Today, “Diskurs Bayreuth”, the supporting program of Bayreuth Festival, kicks off with an exciting discussion about music and politics. Conductor Daniel Barenboim and writer Thea Dorn talk about music, politics, and society, about the political Richard Wagner, and their very personal experiences with the conditions under which artistic creation is still possible in times of pandemic.
The discussion series “Hier gilt’s der Kunst – Wagner, Music and Politics” addresses current questions: Can, must, should art be a statement on politics and current events? Isn’t it always? What can art achieve? Until July 31, 2020, a new edition will appear daily on the Bayreuth Festival website at www.bayreuther-festspiele.de/diskurs and BR Klassik’s festival offering at www.br-klassik.de. Further guests include Sir András Schiff, Martina Gedeck, Barrie Kosky, Dörte Schmidt, Dieter Grimm, as well as Björn Gottstein, Julia Spinola, and Bernhard Neuhoff.
“the Loop of the Nibelung” by Simon Steen-Andersen, World Premiere
“Diskurs Bayreuth” also stands for the artistic engagement with the work and influence of Richard Wagner and has presented a world premiere as a commissioned work by Bayreuth Festival every year since 2018. Originally planned as a live performance in front of an audience during the festival season, composer and media artist Simon Steen-Andersen used all the creative freedom now available to him for a unique video production. Together with musicians from Bayreuth Festival, he embarks on an audiovisual exploration of the mythical Bayreuth Festival House, transforming it into both an instrument and a stage set with the help of a sophisticated “chain reaction machine”. “The Loop oft the Nibelung” is also available online starting today.
Diskurs Bayreuth 2020 – Programme
Online Edition of the Supporting Program of Bayreuth Festival in cooperation with BR Klassik
July 29 | From 10 AM
Can Art Become Politically Effective?
Discussion with Daniel Barenboim & Thea Dorn
July 29 | From 3 PM
The Loop of the Nibelung
Simon Steen-Andersen
Commissioned work by Bayreuth Festival, composition commission
financed by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
.
With musicians of the Festival Orchestra as well as Wiebke Lehmkuhl,
Nadine Weissmann (Mezzo-soprano) and Olafur Sigurdarson (Baritone)
July 29 | From 10 AM
Wagner’s Music Theater and Politics
Discussion with Barrie Kosky and Julia Spinola, Moderation: Bernhard Neuhoff (BR)
July 30 | From 10 AM
Must an artist take a political stance?
Discussion with András Schiff and Martina Gedeck, Moderation: Björn Gottstein (SWR)
July 31 | From 10 AM
Artistic Autonomy and/as Social Function
Discussion with Dörte Schmidt and Dieter Grimm, Moderation: Bernhard Neuhoff (BR)
The discussion series “Hier gilt’s der Kunst” and the video performance “The Loop oft the Nibelung” are available for a period of four weeks on the Bayreuth Festival website at www.bayreuther-festspiele.de/diskurs and BR Klassik’s festival offering at www.br-klassik.de from the specified dates.
programme will be accompanied by background information and additional video material on Bayreuth Festival’s Twitter channel.