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News

12.06.2017
Delegates' Meeting at the Wagner Congress 2017
Resolution taken to preserve the Richard Wagner Museum n the Palazzo Vendramin in Venice, including the room in which Richard Wagner died.
In the name of the International Richard Wagner Congress, the Annual General Meeting of the RWVI takes place every year for the 125 member societies. 

According to tradition, at the beginning of the meeting the Mayor of Bayreuth, Mrs. Brigitte Merk-Erbe, presented the greetings of the town of Bayreuth.

In the annual report of his activities, President Horst Eggers stated that, after two years in office, he could present a positive outlook for the RWVI. This was particularly reflected by the inclusion of four new member Wagner societies and the resumption of membership of five societies, after a three year absence from the RWVI. President Eggers said the following:

"The positive development of the RWVI, which I have indicated in my report, is a motivation and an incentive for me and the members of the Board to continue our work in the coming years. With the allocation of Bayreuth Festival tickets, with our regular newsletter and our user-friendly website, we have provided services to our member societies which have proved very popular. "

With regard to the 2016 Bayreuth Festival season, Horst Eggers noted the following:

 "The new production of Parsifal, along with the other productions were received very positively by both the media and the audiences. I received an especially positive response from the overseas Wagner Societies.

In mid-August 2016, the Managing Director of the Richard Wagner Scholarship Foundation, Dr. Stefan Specht and I welcomed to the Festival 250 young scholars from 41 countries. Our up-and-coming young artists were equally enthusiastic about the performances and of course also about the atmosphere in the Festival House and that of the Festival in general. We all, especially all the Wagner Societies, must always emphasise the uniqueness of the Bayreuth Festival. It is unique in this world that a composer has created his own opera house and that his works have been played there for 140 years. It is equally unique that this Festival is still under the direction of the Wagner family. Another important feature is that the Scholarship Foundation, created by Richard Wagner a year before his death, has been able to welcome 250 scholars every year in Bayreuth, thanks to our member societies. The large number of former scholars who have been performing for many years as soloists at the Bayreuth Festival, speaks for itself "

Subsequently, the annual accounts report of the RWVI Treasurer Georg Riesner from Bayreuth was unanimously adopted, and at the proposal of the Auditor Elisabeth Bauriedel from Bayreuth the Board was unanimously discharged.

At the request of Professor Alessandra Althoff-Pugliese, Vice-President of the RWVI, and Chair of the Richard Wagner Association of Venice, the delegates' meeting resolved to support the continuation of the Richard Wagner Museum and death chamber of the composer at the Palazzo Vendramin in Venice. This resolution would be addressed to the City of Venice, as it was noted that the city administration was considering the closure of the Richard Wagner Museum. The text of the resolution was as follows:

 1) Since 1995, the Richard Wagner Association Venice (ARWV) has been responsible for the Wagner Museum in Venice in the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, where Wagner spent the last 6 months of his life and died on 13 February 1883. These rooms are the only ones that are still in the original state.

2) The ARWV wishes to ensure that the collection in this museum, essentially consisting of items donationed to the ARWV, can remain permanently in the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi.

3) The RWVI congratulates the ARWV for the reconstruction work that has been carried out over the years and wishes to ensure that the museum and its valuable collection as an important testimony to the worldwide importance of the work of Richard Wagner, will be able to continue its valuable and secure development in this historically significant place in Venice.

4) The approval of the Annual General Meeting was requested for this purpose.