Thursday, September 4, 2008
Bayreuth Opera: Women in Colors
Colors of the rainbow - as good as bird watching.
Basic black and very expensive. Handbag (not visible) even more expensive.
Basic black, a little more tapered, but also very expensive.
Not much colors, but who needs colors?
On the other hand, as the sun goes down, maybe it is good to stand out.
Basic black and very expensive. Handbag (not visible) even more expensive.
Basic black, a little more tapered, but also very expensive.
Not much colors, but who needs colors?
On the other hand, as the sun goes down, maybe it is good to stand out.
What to Do at Bayreuth Festspiel Opera Grounds
Relax in front of the gardens and water pool.
Pay a tribute to Franz Liszt, Wagner's father-in-law.
Visit Cosima, Wagner's wife and widow, and Franz Liszt's daughter.
Get yourself photographed with Richard.
Wait for hours and hours in line in the hope of getting returned tickets. The odds are not good, as Marianne told us. She and her husband see about 70 operas a year.
Pay a tribute to Franz Liszt, Wagner's father-in-law.
Visit Cosima, Wagner's wife and widow, and Franz Liszt's daughter.
Get yourself photographed with Richard.
Wait for hours and hours in line in the hope of getting returned tickets. The odds are not good, as Marianne told us. She and her husband see about 70 operas a year.
What to Do in Bayreuth During Non-Opera Times
Walk the lovely old cobblestone streets.
Go to an opera. This one was at Richard Wagner's house and played on his own piano, shown below!
Take in a lecture on Wagner, the Ring, philosophy, and history.
Talk about the opera late into the night: John and Ulrika from Sweden.
Get to know new opera friends: Peter and Raf from London.
Go to an opera. This one was at Richard Wagner's house and played on his own piano, shown below!
Take in a lecture on Wagner, the Ring, philosophy, and history.
Talk about the opera late into the night: John and Ulrika from Sweden.
Get to know new opera friends: Peter and Raf from London.
The Bayreuth Hofgarten
Princess Wilhemina, the sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia, put Bayreuth on the map well before Richard Wagner. Her "Residence" is a confectionary residence, with the Italianate Hofgarten adjoining. Classical mermaid statues...
Allees of trees...
Romantic statues rising out of pools...
And inviting statuesque caryatids supporting a balcony on the Residence.
Allees of trees...
Romantic statues rising out of pools...
And inviting statuesque caryatids supporting a balcony on the Residence.
Hitler's Bayreuth
As mentioned before, Hitler summered in Bayreuth. He was close to the Wagner family and seemed poised to marry Siegfried Wagner's widow. Perhaps a great gift is that Hitler did not marry Winifried Wagner and condemn Wagner's music to the dustbin of history.
Below, left, is the annex to the Wagner family compound where Hitler stayed.
Parkstrasse 4, where Hitler stayed before Wahnfried.
The Aryan type olympic statue at the base of the Festspielhaus/Wagner opera house grounds. The Nazis staged rallies around the opera house and had plans to replace it with a large complex nearby.
The tie of Bayreuth Festspielhaus Opera House to the Nazis is a complicated part of its history that is still being worked through. Richard Wagner himself died well before the rise of the Third Reich, but his music and Bayreuth itself was appropriated by the Nazis as symbols of cultural nationalism.
Below, left, is the annex to the Wagner family compound where Hitler stayed.
Parkstrasse 4, where Hitler stayed before Wahnfried.
The Aryan type olympic statue at the base of the Festspielhaus/Wagner opera house grounds. The Nazis staged rallies around the opera house and had plans to replace it with a large complex nearby.
The tie of Bayreuth Festspielhaus Opera House to the Nazis is a complicated part of its history that is still being worked through. Richard Wagner himself died well before the rise of the Third Reich, but his music and Bayreuth itself was appropriated by the Nazis as symbols of cultural nationalism.
More on Wahnfried, Wagner's House in Bayreuth
Above the door is a giant mural, depicting Wotan, King of the Gods and the philandering wanderer, being welcomed by classical type women.
Is it Wotan or Richard Wagner pronouncing, below, "Be this house named by me" in magisterial tone/script?
"Here where my delusions found peace..."
The annex of Wahnfried, to the left, was built by Wagner's son as bachelor quarters. It was also used by Adolph Hitler on his many intimate visits with the Wagner family. He was an honorary uncle to Wagner's grandchildren and made Bayreuth his summer retreat. Is it Wagner, Wotan, or Hitler seeking tranquility and peace from delusions?
Is it Wotan or Richard Wagner pronouncing, below, "Be this house named by me" in magisterial tone/script?
"Here where my delusions found peace..."
The annex of Wahnfried, to the left, was built by Wagner's son as bachelor quarters. It was also used by Adolph Hitler on his many intimate visits with the Wagner family. He was an honorary uncle to Wagner's grandchildren and made Bayreuth his summer retreat. Is it Wagner, Wotan, or Hitler seeking tranquility and peace from delusions?
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Wahnfried; Wagner's House in Bayreuth
Wagner finally achieved artistic and financial success, thanks largely to King Ludwig of Bavaria. King Ludwig was an enthusiastic, ardent supporter of Wagner - his bust is seen in front of Wagner's showpiece house below. The name of the house is "Wahnfried," which can be translated as either Rest from Yearning, or as The Peace of Madness. Both might apply.
Here are some members of the American Wagner Society, with Alan and Cyane at left.
We had a small ceremony, laying flowers on the grave of Richard and Cosima Wagner, below.
The landscaping of the house is very well done.
The lovely tan sandstone of the house still shows old ripple marks.
Here are some members of the American Wagner Society, with Alan and Cyane at left.
We had a small ceremony, laying flowers on the grave of Richard and Cosima Wagner, below.
The landscaping of the house is very well done.
The lovely tan sandstone of the house still shows old ripple marks.
A Day Off; Cycling through the Fichtelgebirge Mountains
Cutting wood and wood working is a big activity. These are bee hives; the bees come and go from the little slit doors near the bottom of the figures.
Many people were cutting wood and tending their wood piles.
These woodpiles were often works of art.
Alan goes down the gravel path while cycling past wood cut areas in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains east of Bayreuth.
Many people were cutting wood and tending their wood piles.
These woodpiles were often works of art.
Alan goes down the gravel path while cycling past wood cut areas in the Fichtelgebirge Mountains east of Bayreuth.
Alan Visits the Opera At Bayreuth
Like most of the men, Alan gets dressed up in his tux for the performance.
The bust of Richard Wagner keeps watch on the Festspielhaus.
Alan is happy because the fanfare is announcing the start of the opera. He does not seem to mind 6 hours of sitting on hard wooden chairs and listening to Der Ring des Nibelungen.
On the tour, Alan stands on the stage for Siegfried.
The lights dim, the audience fills in, the performance is about to start...
The bust of Richard Wagner keeps watch on the Festspielhaus.
Alan is happy because the fanfare is announcing the start of the opera. He does not seem to mind 6 hours of sitting on hard wooden chairs and listening to Der Ring des Nibelungen.
On the tour, Alan stands on the stage for Siegfried.
The lights dim, the audience fills in, the performance is about to start...
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