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Wagner Society in NSW Inc
Robert Lloyd Although the History of the Bayreuth Festival is well known and extensively documented, I feel it is worth a brief reassessmenespecially in the light of Katharina Wagner's succession. It seems every member of this extraordinary dynasty has inherited at least one aspect of Richard Wagner's multi-faceted personality; and an almost desperate need to express his or her particular creative credentials. Looking back, albeit fleetingly, to the period following her husband's death, Cosima, with an almost religious zeal, controlled the Bayreuth Festival demanding faithful adherence to the ‘rules’ as she saw them, thus preventing any new or interpretative input. Hans Richter tactfully made some changes in orchestral emphasis and interpretation, but the naturalistic and traditional style of production remained unchanged. Even when illness ended her continuance as Director in 1906 and she relinquished the reins to her son Siegfried, Cosima still exerted an influential presence. Siegfried was only 14 years old when his father died, denied the guidance and leadership a sensitive boy needs at this impressionable age. Could his dual sexuality be explained by the absence of a father's influence? Perhaps. Cosima made him fully aware of his dynastic destiny; surrounded by adoring sisters and the daughters of Cosima and Von Bulow, Siegfried’s youth appeared to be happy, the Festspielhaus, his playground. A conductor and composer in his own right, he faithfully interpreted his father's works, which were still presented in the rigid tradition that tradition demanded. With the outbreak of World War I, the Bayreuth Festival ended and was not to re-open again until 1924. At the age of 45, Siegfried fell in love with Winifred Klindworth who was just 18 and one year later, in 1915, they married. He revelled in married life and was overjoyed with the births of their four children. It couldn't have been easy for Winifred to have the now reclusive Cosima as her mother-in-law: female Fafner protecting the Hoard! By 1924, after 10 long years of the Festival's closure, the world had changed. The new forms of art, music, opera and particularly ballet production and design, which had emerged in the early 20th century, by-passed the Festspielhaus. In this same year, the designer, Adolphe Appia, designed a Ring Cycle in Basle using abstract-sculptural sets which, with subtle lighting, stimulated the audience's imagination and enhanced and supported the orchestral structure. These innovations were not to be seen in Bayreuth until after 1951. To Cosima, these innovations were anathema. Siegfried, who might have wished to incorporate new ideas into his productions, dutifully bowed to his mother’s authority. He had only six short years to re-establish the status of the Bayreuth Festival before his death in 1930. And in a few months later, Cosima also died. Again, we see Winifred Wagner's four children losing the loving and protective influence of their father; Wieland and Wolfgang, at the tender ages of 13 and 11 respectively. A capable and efficient mother, Winifred, a young woman of only 33, took over the onerous directorship of the Bayreuth Festival and gathered about her a creative and progressive ‘team’ She appointed Heinz Tietjen as Artistic director and Emil Preetorius as Designer. These two men became friends and guardians to the boys and greatly influenced and stimulated their individual and different creative talents. Winifred Wagner's allegiance to the politics of the Nazi regime is still difficult to fully understand. Was it Idealism on her part, a restoration of Germany's national identity, pride in its arts, the decisive leadership that Hitler promised? Whatever her motive, she embraced his philosophical vision completely and they became close friends. Frequently visiting Bayreuth, Hitler's almost paternal affection for Wieland and Wolfgang was touching, but in retrospect, disturbing. Digressing a little; I was able to glean valuable insights into Hitler's personal characteristics and social behaviour when I met in Sydney, Frau Traudl Junge. She had been his last Private Secretary. Being trapped in the Berlin Bunker with Eva Braun and the remnants of the Nazi hierarchy—and the tragic Goebbels children—Traudl barely escaped with her life. She wrote her memoirs in 1947 as a healing exercise, still bewildered at Hitler's appalling and personal betrayal. The memorable film Downfall was based on her memoirs. In a number of visits I made to Munich, we became close acquaintances: many questions asked and answers given. What was it that caused those who came into personal contact with him to fall under his Rasputin-like spell? Traudl's answer ‘dangerous charisma.’ Under Hitler's patronage, the Bayreuth Festival prospered and Winifred assumed a position of influence and authority. The demands from Berlin for a distinct and conventional style of production often frustrated both Tietjen and Preetorius, with Winifred steering a middle course. She enlisted the conductors Toscanini and Furtwangler to present Wagner's music dramas and these productions reached musical standards many say have never been equalled. In those supposedly Halcyon pre-World War II days, the now formidable Winifred Wagner was firmly in control, though not always successful in controlling her complex, creative and often quarrelsome children. One would have wisely pleaded a prior engagement if invited to Wahnfried for a bratwurst sizzle. It all came to an end in 1945 and Germany, in ruin, resembled the final scenes of Gotterdammerung. The chaotic aftermath, the recriminations, the show trials and political loyalties questioned can only be imagined. Because of her staunch support of Hitler's political regime, Winifred Wagner was tried and exiled from Bayreuth. Did she also feel betrayed and isolated from reality? She bravely endured the ignominy and developed an inner strength, to survive it. This chaotic period must have had an enormous impact on her children—torn between filial duty, political confusion and survival in an unfamiliar, even alien world. It fell to Wieland Wagner, a creative and visionary director/designer, to re-forge Nothung and restore the Bayreuth Festival: the Festspielhaus re-opened in 1951. He seized the opportunity to enlarge and modify the stage, and had a new lighting system installed. Gone were the sets and props of the past productions. Inspired by the Appia concepts of 1924, he designed abstract sets and shaped rostrums that enabled greater audience focus on the individual artist. With lighting designed to enhance changes in action and mood, it literately harmonised with the orchestra in tones and colour. Wieland Wagner's revival of the Bayreuth Festival was a prodigious achievement. The harsh economic conditions of the time imposed severe restrictions on the German people—their recovery slow. But amid the chaos, the need to once again express their creative identity became a vital part of the healing process and, indeed, artistic survival. With determination, Wieland restored the Festival's prestige, realising that its importance in the musical world, crossed all political and geographical boundaries. His concepts in design and innovative staging have filtered down throughout the theatre world and influence us to this day. Accepting, indeed embracing change, he created a new and fresh approach in presenting his grandfather's works. The Festival's artistic survival is testament to his creative vision. Wieland Wagner died in 1966 and left us a precious legacy. Appointed Director, Wolfgang Wagner took over a now well-established and successful organisation. The expectations on him and the responsibility of maintaining the standard demanded made this transition of authority additionally challenging. The two brothers were different in temperament and comparisons and rumours of sibling rivalry surfaced making his leadership, both personally and professionally, more onerous and emotionally draining. More conservative than his idealistic brother, Wolfgang was probably a better manager in the business sense. He dared to make the Bayreuth Festival a commercial and financial success. As both a Director and Designer of extraordinary ability and experience, he bridged the gap that so often divides the seemingly opposing forces of commercial and artistic creativity. Many found difficulty in reconciling this duality—the astute business acumen and the innate musicality and passion that always underpinned his own beautiful productions. In consolidating the Bayreuth Festival's reputation, he sought to reach a global audience well beyond the boundaries of Franconia. Using accepted but selective marketing techniques, he encouraged live broadcasts, recordings, videotaped productions and DVDs, which enabled music lovers to study the Wagner repertoire in detail. By giving us broader terms of reference, he created a potentially well-informed, well-prepared future audience. With innate understanding and a deep respect for the works, his approach to his own productions was truth and upholding the integrity of the score. He once said ‘the Conductor has 90% of the votes.’ He enthusiastically engaged conductors and allowed them to select Directors and Designers of their choice. The Boulez/Chéreau Ring Cycle was a good example of Wolfgang Wagner's policy. Encouraging new and innovative interpretations, he gave many the expertise and superb facilities of the Festspielhaus stage— a perfect arena in which they could excel. Not so successful was his engaging Sir George Solti who recommended Sir Peter Hall as the Director and the latter's choice of designer, the remarkable William Dudley. With commitments in England, Sir Peter seriously underestimated the enormity of producing a complete Ring Cycle in the limited time available. And Solti, so used to the controlled environment of the recording studio, had great difficulty coping with the Festspielhaus pit. A great deal of money was wasted and the relationship between Sir Peter Hall and Wolfgang Wagner was, to put it politely, strained. But those of us who attended this production in 1983 will never forget its impact— an interpretation so close to the composer's dream. The opening scenes of the Rheingold were unforgettably beautiful—never to be forgotten. That this production was not videotaped is a tragedy. Dudley's ingenious and spectacular sets exploited the technical facilities of the stage to the limit, but never dominated or ‘up-staged’ the action or, more importantly, the Music. Indeed, a lesson for all designers! The book/diary The Ring—Anatomy of an Opera is a blow by blow description of the hazards of opera production. But, regardless of the real life drama, the Peter Hall Ring was a prodigious achievement. In Bayreuth, new productions are considered Works in Progress and usually stay in the repertoire for four or five years, some much longer. Directors and Designers are expected to return to oversee and possibly change or correct details in their productions. But neither Solti, Hall nor Dudley returned. Although Wolfgang nibbled at the edges, the Cycle I attended in1986 had lost a little of its magic. I think this was the Cycle we kept running out of Siegfrieds and Wolfgang loudly berated the audience for our impatience. We deserved it. He gave new meaning to the term Music-Drama. Harry Kupfer's concept for his Ring Cycle, set in a post-nuclear world was equally memorable. Stark and challenging, its impact was immediate and made a passionate statement. Establishing Wotan's presence in Act 2 of Siegfried controlling the Woodbird, a puppet, was an inspired concept and made this usually idiotic scene at least logical. Instead of mechanical metal claws or heaving inflated garbage bags, at last we had a Dragon to be reckoned with—a Fafner to terrify the bravest or stupidest of Heroes. Wolfgang Wagner's range as a Designer never ceased to astonish me. His Parsifal was just one example of his extraordinary ability. The opening scene had tall, reflective crystalline structures that, with subtle lighting, resembled trees with changing time of day and mood. Moving in the transition to reveal the Grail Temple—a timeless, Memphis [Egypt not USA – Ed]-style interior, simple and pure in form. Again, with imaginative lighting, the stage took on a deeply spiritual quality—the total impact was overwhelming. As if the music isn't enough. The score and orchestration was the foundation of his production and revealed a Designer of great sensitivity and confidence. But it was Meistersinger that seemed to be Wolfgang's personal domain and I suspect his most precious inheritance. His production, which stayed in repertoire for I believe12 years was a glorious experience. Conducted by Horst Stein, it had beautiful period sets and costumes and embraced humanity with warmth and compassion. Even the videotape production glows with this quality. In replacing this production with his new interpretation, he designed simpler sets and costumes. Conducted by Christian Thielemann, musically this has been the most completely satisfying performance I've ever attended. The opening scenes of Act 3 were sheer poetry; we, the audience, were no longer passive observers, but engaged participants. I suspect Thielemann had 90% of the votes. Dare I say that Katharina Wagner has huge shoes to fill—her father is a hard act to follow. Do we have unfair expectations? I expect we do. Watch this space. Back to Society Home PageThis Page was last updated on: October 4, 2009->->->-> © Wagner Society in NSW Inc 2009 |