The Bayreuth Touch

IF you want to hear Wagner’s music in its original, uncut purity, you must go to Bayreuth as my husband and I did this last August, to hear the four operas of the Ring of the Nibe-lung performed as a unit, rather than as separate parts. Two generations of Wag-ners have kept the Master’s faith, so that even now loyal Wagnerites from all over the world come to make the pilgrimage, in evening clothes at four in the afternoon, up the sacred “Green Hill” to the Festspielhaus. The harder and purer disciples walk up, as Wagner wanted them to, and the softies like ourselves ride up in taxis or in their cars. But all are in a reverent frame of mind, and however iconoclastic you set out and however jokingly you may talk about Bayreuth trappings later, while you are there the Festival grips you tight, as one of the most wonderful musical experiences there ever was.

Provided of course that you like Wagner, or you won’t be able to sit through three acts of uncut opera each about seventy to eighty minutes long. Which is not as arduous as it seems, since you come here just for this, and besides there are one-hour intervals to help keep one’s strength up. I had always thought it funny that people should want to eat between the tragic goings-on of Wagnerian opera, in either a large and nice cafeteria or in a large and luxurious restaurant, where you leave your orders before the show.

NH

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Nika Hazelton

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IF you want to hear Wagner’s music in its original, uncut purity, you must go to Bayreuth as my husband and I did this last August, to hear the four operas of the Ring of the Nibe-lung performed as a unit, rather than as separate parts. Two generations of Wag-ners have kept the Master’s faith, so that even now loyal Wagnerites from all over the world come to make the pilgrimage, in evening clothes at four in the afternoon, up the sacred “Green Hill” to the Festspielhaus. The harder and purer disciples walk up, as Wagner wanted them to, and the softies like ourselves ride up in taxis or in their cars. But all are in a reverent frame of mind, and however iconoclastic you set out and however jokingly you may talk about Bayreuth trappings later, while you are there the Festival grips you tight, as one of the most wonderful musical experiences there ever was.

Provided of course that you like Wagner, or you won’t be able to sit through three acts of uncut opera each about seventy to eighty minutes long. Which is not as arduous as it seems, since you come here just for this, and besides there are one-hour intervals to help keep one’s strength up. I had always thought it funny that people should want to eat between the tragic goings-on of Wagnerian opera, in either a large and nice cafeteria or in a large and luxurious restaurant, where you leave your orders before the show.