The Festspielhaus of Bayreuth is a modest opera house by international standards – with a rather small, plain auditorium, simple seating and bare wooden floor – but a justly famous one. It was built according to the specifications of Richard Wagner and has been used only for the performance of his works since it opened in 1876, when the Ring Cycle was performed in its entirety for the first time. This is the scene each year of the Wagner Opera Festival, a mixture of time-honoured tradition and adventuress experimentation. Despite the pressures imposed by the restricted repertoire, the Festspielhaus continues to thrive as the ideal place to experience Richard Wagner's operas.

Times
Various.