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A quiet hello: Günther Groissböck cancels the Wotan in Bayreuth

2021-07-25T14:47:41.273Z


The Bayreuth Festival starts on Sunday evening with the new production of “The Flying Dutchman”. Festival director Katharina Wagner invited to a press conference the day before.


The Bayreuth Festival starts on Sunday evening with the new production of “The Flying Dutchman”.

Festival director Katharina Wagner invited to a press conference the day before.

  • Günther Groissböck wanted to debut as Wotan in Bayreuth in 2022.

  • Now the singer has canceled his appearance in the "Ring des Nibelungen".

  • Reason: The Corona-related forced break had too much of an effect on his voice.

This role debut was planned as a career highlight.

Günther Groissböck has been preparing for the Wotan in the “Ring of the Nibelung” for years.

It was more or less the joint project between him and festival director Katharina Wagner.

Now the emergency brake was pulled.

The 44-year-old not only canceled the “Walküre” at this year's Bayreuth Festival.

In an illustration by action artist Hermann Nitsch, this is a kind of test run for the “Ring” 2022 directed by Valentin Schwarz.

What is more important: Groissböck is no longer to be expected there as Wotan.

For now.

Günther Groissböck speaks of a "rational decision"

If you ask around at the Green Hill, you will find out: no scandal, the all-clear.

Not everything went well for the Austrian during rehearsals.

The forced silence during the lockdowns had too much of an effect on his voice, it is said.

There was great nervousness, also on the part of the festival management.

There was also a heavy rehearsal schedule: the day after the “Walküre” dress rehearsal, a “Siegfried” run was scheduled as a preliminary rehearsal for 2022.

Groissböck himself speaks to our newspaper of a "sensible decision" and difficult Corona months.

The bass player did not cancel the other Bayreuth appearances.

For example, he can be seen next Tuesday in the resumption of "Tannhäuser" as a Landgrave.

Tomasz Konieczny will represent him at this year's three “Valkyries”.

Jay Scheib will stage “Parsifal” on the Green Hill in 2023

The Wotan excitement of the premiere of “The Flying Dutchman” on Sunday evening stole the show a little. Also a change that the festival director announced for 2023. Then the American Jay Scheib will stage “Parsifal”. And this with the means of "Augmented Reality". Computer glasses are distributed to the audience for this purpose. Whoever puts them on sees virtually created scenic elements, these should complement the performance. Katharina Wagner assured us that you could leave your glasses unused and “only” treat yourself to the live performance. Who will conduct this “Parsifal” is still open. Originally, Christian Thielemann was planned. He would have looked after all of the Wagner operas played in Bayreuth in one premiere. What is fixed: Joseph Calleja takes on the title role,so far active almost exclusively in the Italian subject. Ekaterina Semenchuk is the Kundry, Georg Zeppenfeld shouldered the Gurnemanz again.

Director Scheib, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is already active in Bayreuth this year. There are actions with the other “Ring” parts around the Nitsch “Walküre”. Scheib is responsible for "Siegfried". On the square in front of the Festspielhaus, everyone who has registered beforehand can fight as a German hero against a dragon with virtual reality glasses. “It's wild,” said Scheib, commenting on his project.

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2021-07-25

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