The Bayreuth Festival will mark its 150th anniversary in 2026 with an ambitious and diverse lineup, blending Wagnerian tradition with bold experimentation. The program, now officially announced, includes the first-ever staging at Bayreuth of Rienzi, an AI-enhanced version of Der Ring des Nibelungen titled Ring 10010110, and a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, a work that held deep significance for Wagner himself.
While the 2025 edition includes only one new production (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, directed by Matthias Davids and conducted by Daniele Gatti), the 2026 season broadens its scope, offering repertoire staples alongside rare works and commemorative formats that reflect on the festival’s legacy.
Rienzi: A one-time event
A highlight of the 2026 season will be Wagner’s early opera Rienzi, performed for the first and only time in Bayreuth. Although once Wagner’s most popular work, Rienzi has long been absent from the composer’s self-curated canon for Bayreuth. Its monumental and political narrative, often seen as a transitional piece between French grand opera and Wagner’s mature music dramas, will now be revived in a staging by Magdolna Parditka and Alexandra Szemeredy, with Nathalie Stutzmann conducting.
The cast includes Andreas Schager in the title role, alongside Gabriela Scherer (Irene), Jennifer Holloway (Adriano), Michael Nagy (Paolo Orsini), and Matthias Stier (Baroncelli).
Ring 10010110: Wagner meets AI
Also specially conceived for the anniversary is Ring 10010110, described as a music theatre experiment that reimagines Wagner’s Ring cycle “from myth to code.” In this version, the four operas will be performed in concert format, accompanied by a visual environment generated by artificial intelligence.
The project, curated by Marcus Lobbes, seeks to explore how the Ring has been interpreted over 150 years of festival history — and what it might become when the stage itself begins to “think.” The musical direction will be led by Christian Thielemann, with a cast that includes Michael Volle, Klaus Florian Vogt, Camilla Nylund, Christa Mayer, Mika Kares, and others across the tetralogy.
Revivals and new perspectives
The anniversary season will also feature revivals of three recent productions:
- Der fliegende Holländer, in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s psychological staging, with Oksana Lyniv conducting and Asmik Grigorian as Senta (select dates).
- Parsifal, in Jay Scheib’s technologically infused production, conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado, with a cast led by Michael Volle, Andreas Schager, and Miina-Liisa Värelä.
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony returns to Bayreuth
In keeping with tradition, the festival will also present Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, a work closely tied to Wagner’s artistic vision. Wagner conducted the Ninth himself on several historic occasions, including the 1872 foundation ceremony for the Festspielhaus. For the 2026 anniversary, the symphony will be performed under Christian Thielemann, featuring Elza van den Heever, Christa Mayer, Piotr Beczała, and Georg Zeppenfeld.
With a blend of rare repertoire, landmark performances, and conceptual innovation, Bayreuth 2026 promises to be a season that honors the festival’s legacy while questioning and reimagining its future.
More info, here
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