“…dramatic personalities are drawn to opera, not influenced by it.” [Psychology Today]
According to a statement on the Bayreuth website, stepsisters Katharina Wagner and Eva Wagner-Pasquier will take over the Festspiele from their father Wolfgang Wagner, who is retiring after more than half a century at the helm of the festival.
Members of the “Wieland” branch of the Wagner family tree are, of course, furious at this selection of Wolfgang’s daughers as “Festspielleiterinnen” by the foundation that administers the Festival. Wolf Siegfried Wagner (son of Wieland) slammed the selection process as “unworthy.” Wolf Siegfried’s sister Nike Wagner lost their a joint bid with Gerard Mortier (not a member of the Wagner family at the moment) to head the festival.
“Of course I am sad about the outcome of the process,” Nike sighed in a statement released to Bloomberg News. “I hope that my cousins will seize the initiatives that Gerard Mortier and I presented. I wish them much success in that.’”
Katharina’s next artistic project at the Festival will be a new production of Tristan und Isolde in 2015, with Christian Thielemann as music director.
From Franco Corelli: Prince of Tenors
The battle between tenor and conductor reached a climax when Cillario denied Franco his ovation at the end of “E lucevan le stelle.” An infuriated Corelli flipped his overlong thumb to his teeth in disgust and ran offstage. The audience was left stunned, the orchestra still playing the ascending scale leading to Tosca’s entrance, and Tosca herself bursting on stage to find it empty and the audience buzzing around in a mini uproar. Backstage, Chapin saw Corelli screaming at Charlie Riecker, teeth clenched, eyes bulging. There was no time for discussion. Chapin grabbed Corelli and pushed him back on the stage, where he resumed his role.
Cher Public