New publication - "Musica Cosmogonica von der Barockzeit bis heute"
The author, Dr. phil. Leopoldo Siano, is a musicologist and lecturer at the University of Cologne in the Institute of Musicology
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05.03.2021
RWVI travel parter Ars Musica bestows major donation to the Wagner Foundation in Venice
The RWVI is truly grateful to Ars Musica for their generous donation
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22.02.2021
Obituary Stefan Mickisch 1962-2021 by Rainer Fineske
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13.02.2021
Eva Wagner Interview with El Mercurio, Santiago Chile
Eva Wagner Pasquier has accepted the role of Honorary Member of the Wagner Foundation of Santiago. She recently gave an interview to the newspaper "El Mercurio"
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03.01.2021
Review of "The Blue Book" by Rainer Fineske
Many Wagner and Bayreuth fans are already familiar with the term "Blue Book" - and here is a review by the RWVI President
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02.01.2021
A note from RWVI President Rainer Fineske
On 25 December 2020, the symphonic work by Richard Wagner known as the "Siegfried Idyll" celebrates its 150th anniversary
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18.12.2020
A message from RWVI President Rainer Fineske about Beethoven
This year the international music world commemorates the 250th birthday of the great and world-famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven
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12.12.2020
German Bundestag approves 5.2 million euros for the renaissance of the Wagner Theatre in Riga
Riga/Berlin: Today's adoption of the 2021 budget in the German Bundestag lays the foundation for saving the restoration of the building
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03.12.2020
The RWVI pays tribute to Verena Lafferentz-Wagner on the 100th anniversary of her birth
?Today in December 2020 we commemorate the 100th birthday of the youngest granddaughter of Richard and Cosima Wagner.
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08.11.2020
New Publication - facsimile edition of Parsifal score
Richard Wagner's score for "Parsifal", his "Weltabschiedswerk" has now been published by Musikverlag Bärenreiter as a high-quality facsimile
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22.10.2020
Richard Wagner Gesellschaft Riga takes over former German Theatre
On 20 October, President of Latvia Egils Levits took part in the key handover ceremony at the Riga Wagner House.
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18.10.2020
Letter from President Fineske regarding changes to the Symposium in Berlin, January 2020
As a result of the pandemic, we have had to make some changes to the Symposium "70 years of the New Bayreuth" scheduled for January 2020
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14.10.2020
"Wagner - an eternal German nuisance" by Moshe Zuckermann
A review by RWVI President Rainer Fineske
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26.09.2020
New book of the Ring - illustrated by Martin Stark
Büchergilde Editions have published a true masterpiece, with a four-part illustrated book on Richard Wagner's magnum opus - as described by President Rainer Fineske
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24.09.2020
Katharina Wagner speaks openly about her illness and her plans for the future
In a frank interview with Manuel Brug in Die Welt on 21 September, Katharina Wagner spoke freely about her recent illness
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24.09.2020
Bayreuth appoints its first woman conductor
The newly returned-to-work Bayreuth Director Katharina Wagner has named Oksana Lyniv as the conductor of the new Fliegender Holländer in 2021
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16.09.2020
Katharina Wagner returns - comeback on the Green Hill
The Süddeutsche Zeitung has announced that Katharina Wagner has returned to work at the Bayreuth Festival
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01.09.2020
Landesart TV are offering a video of Stefan Vinke's Festival in his garden
The television programme Landesart has published a video on the subject of the "Great" Wagner Festival in Hargesheim
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27.08.2020
Letter from President Fineske
regarding his recent visit to Bayreuth to attend a Masterclass and Wreath laying organised by the Scholarship Foundation
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26.07.2020
Open letter from the RWVI President re Riga
In support of the appeal from the Wagner Society of Riga, who are fully restoring their opera house with its strong links to Wagner
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16.07.2020
BAYREUTH GOES ONLINE!
It is with great pleasure that we bring you this exciting news - the Bayreuth Festival will offer a wealth of operas from its archives, including three of the greatest Rings in the Festival's history
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18.06.2020
Podcasts from the Wagner Museum in Bayreuth
Because the museum is closed and you cannot go there, the museum comes to you.
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21.05.2020
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD WAGNER
207 years young today
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21.05.2020
Greetings to Katharina Wagner on her birthday
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13.05.2020
Obituary - Norbert Balatsch
Rainer Fineske, President, RWVI has written a moving tribute to the late Norbert Balatsch, former chorus master at the Bayreuth Festival
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12.05.2020
Best Wishes to Katharina Wagner for a good recovery
RWVI President Rainer Fineske sends best wishes for a good recovery to Katharina Wagner, Director of the Bayreuth Festival
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05.05.2020
Update on the Ring Award Final in Graz
We have received an update in the form of a letter from Heinz Weyringer, director of the renowned Ring Award, evidencing great optimism and determination
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23.04.2020
WS Iceland cancels its May Symposium with great regret
The planned Keyword Wagner event in Reykjavik in May, which would have included a symposium and a performance of Die Walküre has regrettably been postponed
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20.04.2020
Significant birthdays
The President of the RWVI congratulates Eva Wagner-Pasquier, Anja Silja and Siegfried Jerusalem on their birthdays
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07.04.2020
The latest brochure giving details of the programme for the Wagner Congress in Bonn in September 2020 is now available to download
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29.03.2020
Some more digital links - Kaufmann, Valentin Schwarz and Ludovic Tezier
Featuring Jonas Kaufmann and Ludiovic Tezier appealing for aid to singers and an interview with Valentin Schwarz , director of this year's new Ring in Bayreuth
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22.03.2020
List of digital opera and concert offerings
In these dark times with our favourite opera houses closed, we need not deprive ourselves of the beauty of opera and classical music.
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17.03.2020
WS Berlin-Brandenburg - ceremonial handover
On 13 March 2020, the French Embassy in Berlin hosted the ceremonial presentation of a cheque for €4,000 from RWV Berlin-Brandenburg
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17.03.2020
A Shostakovich Symphony at the Festspielhaus
For the first time in its history, the Bayreuth Festival will perform a symphony by the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich on 24 July 2020 in the Festspielhaus
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25.02.2020
The Wagner Forum Graz celebrated its 25th anniversary along with the 80th birthday of Heinz Weyringer
This lively and dignified event took place in the elegant settings of the Orangery in Graz Castle. A report by RWVI President Rainer Fineske
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12.01.2020
RING AWARD - three teams nominated for the Finals
The Jury considered nine radically different directing and design concepts and nominated three teams for the finals in June
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10.01.2020
The Richard-Wagner-Verband Leipzig e.V. mourns the loss of its founder and honorary chairman Prof. Dr. sc. Werner Wolf
who died at home in Leipzig on 23 December 2019 at the age of 94
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04.01.2020
Obituary - Happy Kupfer
RWVI President Rainer Fineske has written a tribute to the recently deceased great Wagnerian stage director Harry Kupfer. We include a link to a further tribute by Monika Beer.
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02.01.2020
Renowned Wagnerian director Harry Kupfer has died
The director of many iconic Wagner productions, including the 1988 Bayreuth Festival Ring, died on 31 December at the age of 84
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26.12.2019
Greeting from Katharina Wagner
The newly elected President of the RWVI and the new Board have received a note of congratulation from the Bayreuth Festival Director, Katharina Wagner
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13.12.2019
Obituary for Peter Emmerich
A note in commemoration from our President, Rainer Fineske
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13.12.2019
Latest volume in the Wagner Series - Wieland Wagner - is now available
"Nothing is Eternal" Wieland Wagner: Aesthetics, Contemporary History, Influence - discussion edited by Stephan Mösch & Sven Friedrich
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23.11.2019
The long-standing Chair and Honorary Chair of the WS Bielefeld has passed away
Günther W. Wilberg researched the history of the Wagner Associations and the Scholarship Foundation
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20.11.2019
Katharina Wagner, Director of the Bayreuth Festival, extends her contract
It has been announced that Katharina Wagner has renewed her contract as general manager of the Bayreuth Festival for five years.
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30.10.2019
Josef Lienhart honoured by the City of Freibug
RWVI President Horst Eggers gave a speech on the occasion of Josef Liehart being awarded the Golden Seal of the City of Freiburg
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28.10.2019
Dr Stefan Specht, MD of the Stipendienstiftung is honored by the WS Mannheim
"This is how we avoid elitisem"
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23.10.2019
Neo Rauch honoured with the Taurus European Culture Prize
Neo Rauch, designer of the current Bayreuth production of Lohengrin was awarded the Taurus Prize in Vienna on 20 October
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07.10.2019
The RWVI mourns the death of Kerstin Jonasson, Chair of the Svenska Wagner-Sällskapet,, Stockholm
President of the RWVI, Horst Eggers has sent a letter of condolence to our members
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01.10.2019
The Ring in Minden - a great achievement
The culmination of four years work, the complete Ring Cycle in Minden is being performed in the current month
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02.09.2019
Jane Mathews, former President of the Wagner Society of New South Wales, has died
We received a statement from the Society in tribute to Jane
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29.08.2019
The Chairman of the WS Brno held a successful vernissage in Bayreuth.
Vladimir Kiseljov paints and writes about "Mysteries - inscribed in faces".
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12.08.2019
Bayreuth Festival Dates for 2020
The Bayreuth Festival have just published the dates of performances for 2020
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08.07.2019
Performers for Stipendiatenkonzert in Bayreuth announced
The scholars chosen to perform in this year's Stipendiatenkonzert on 18 August 2019 in Bayreuth have been announced
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01.07.2019
Welcome letter to the Bayreuth Festival 2019 from RWVI President Eggers
RWVI President Horst Eggers' has issued a welcome letter to the Bayreuth Festival to all RWVI members
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30.06.2019
Bayreuth Festival Scholarship Week announced for 2020
The Stipendienstiftung has now announced the dates for its annual Scholarship programme at the Bayreuth Festival 2020
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16.06.2019
Iceland - Keyword Wagner 2020 in Reykjavik
The WS Iceland is delighted to announce that it will host a symposium on Wagner "The Nordic Sources and their influence on Wagner" in May 2020
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26.04.2019
RWVI Annual Reports 2018
The collected annual reports from RWVI member societies are now available to read online or to download
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24.04.2019
Wagner's last surviving grandchild has died
It is with great sorrow that we announce the death at the age of 98 of Verena Wagner Lafferentz, youngest daughter of Siegfried and Winifred Wagner
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29.03.2019
Keynote Wagner 2019 - once again, a great success
This year's topic "Wagner and Religion" drew over 90 participants and several expert presenters to a peaceful retreat house in the outskirts of Munich
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27.03.2019
Stichwort Wagner - report on this year's Symposium
Around 90 Wagnerians from Austria, Germany, Iceland, UK and Japan joined the recent symposium on Wagner and Religion in the Munich area
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19.03.2019
Ring Award 2020 - dates and registration now available
The prestigious, RWVI-sponsored Ring Award for young directors and stage designers will once again take place in Graz, Austria in 2020
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25.01.2019
Walk of Wagner - an overview of Wagner's operas
This illustrated magazine, produced by the City of Bayreuth in German, gives an overview of each of Wagner's operas
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23.01.2019
Bayreuth internet ticket sale announced
The Festival has announced that the internet sale will be held at 14:00 Central European time on 7 April 2019.
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12.01.2019
The latest RWVI Newsletter is now available online
The RWVI Newsletter team is happy to announce the publication of NL9
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12.01.2019
Theo Adam, great Wagnerian bass-baritone has died
92 year-old renowned Wagnerian bass baritone Theo Adam, who performed many times at the Bayreuth Festival, died peacefully on 11 January in Dresden
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28.12.2018
Report on the Giornate Wagneriane 2018 in Venice
A group from Karlsruhe attended the 2018 Giornate Wagneriane in Venice. As ever, Alessandra Althoff-Pugliese organised an excellent programme
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19.12.2018
Eva Wagner-Pasquier is awarded the Wagner Prize at the International Singing Competition in Ravello
As part of the annual International Singing Competition for lyric voices in Ravello, Italy, the Jury awards a Wagner prize. This year's recipient was Eva Wagner-Pasquier
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11.12.2018
The WS Düsseldorf mourns the death of Lotte Zahn
The WS Düsseldorf mourns the loss of its honorary Chair, Lotte Zahn, who died on 3 December 2018 in the 55th year of her membership of the WS Düsseldorf.
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25.11.2018
Three Generations One Goal, Wagner Symposium in Berlin
A symposium held at the Deutsche Oper Berlin to mark Cosima Wagner's 180th, Siegfried Wagner's 150th and Friedelind Wagner's 100th birthdays.
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03.10.2018
An excellent Singing Competition in Karlsruhe
This year's 9th International Singing Competition for Wagner Voices took place once again in Karlsruhe and was, as ever, a wonderful event
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15.09.2018
The Bayreuth Festival - new website
The Bayreuth Festival has radically updated its website to a much more informative and user-friendly format.
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12.09.2018
The "Wonder Ring" in Minden concludes with a fine Götterdämmerung
For this great event, we must thank above all the tireless President of the Wagner Society of Minden, Dr Jutta Winckler.
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06.09.2018
Henri Perrier, founder of the WS Lyon has died
Henri Perrier was, with his wife, Chantal, the founder of the Richard Wagner Society - Lyon in January 1982.
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15.08.2018
Reception at the Bayreuth Festival
Some photos of the reception given by the Festival Management on 7 August 2018 for RWVI Board members and Presidents of Wagner Societies
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20.07.2018
RWVI Kongress Bonn 2020 - Flyer now available
The 250th birthday of Bonn's greatest son - Ludwig van Beethoven - will be celebrated in 2020. The RWVI Congress will take place there in September 2020.
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18.07.2018
Greeting from President Eggers to the 2018 Bayreuth Festival
Text of the welcome greeting of RWVI President Horst Eggers to those attending the Bayreuth Festival 2018
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30.06.2018
Roberto Alagna withdraws from the Bayreuth Festival 2018
Roberto Alagna will not be singing the role of Lohengrin in the Bayreuth Festival's new production of the same name.
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22.06.2018
RWVI Congress 2018 - opening speech by President Horst Eggers
The full text of President Horst Eggers' opening speech to the Innsbruck Congress can be found here. translated into English,
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30.05.2018
Bayreuth digitizes Richard Wagner National Archive
So far, it has been difficult to get a hold of documents of the renowned composer. But that will be much easier after the Wagner National Archive has been digitised.
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16.05.2018
Stemme wins Brigit Nilsson prize
Swedish opera singer Nina Stemme has won the one-million dollar prize awarded in memory of the Nordic nation's legendary soprano Birgit Nilsson.
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27.04.2018
Lohengrin returns to Brabant? A superb weekend in Brussels
Almost 200 avid Wagner fans gathered in Brussels over the weekiend of 21 and 22 April to celebrate the new production of Lohengrin by Olivier Py.
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25.03.2018
Dirk Jenders, President of the WS Frankfurt receives the Golden W
At the recent Board meeting in Frankfurt, RWVI President Horst Eggers honoured Dirk Jenders, President of the WS Frankfurt, with the Golden W award to commemorate 10 years of service.
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16.03.2018
The RWVI mourns the death of Paul Götz
It is with deep sorrow and profound gratitude that we bid farewell to our valued former member of the Board of the RWVI
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13.03.2018
Online sale of Bayreuth Festival tickets begins 18 March
The Bayreuth Festival is offering the opportunity to buy Festival tickets in 2018 without pre-ordering or getting on a waiting list. Online sales open on 18 March 2018 at 14:00 (CET)
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14.02.2018
A wonderful weekend in Toulouse
Members of several Wagner societies enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Toulouse, with exceptional hospitality from the Cercle Wagner, celebrating their 25th anniversary
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06.02.2018
Heinz Weyringer to step down as Chair of the Graz Wagner Society
After 23 years at the helm of the Wagner Society in Graz, Austria, RWVI Board member Heinz Weyringer has announced that he is stepping down
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16.11.2017
"Wieland Wagner Days" in Berlin
A brief report on the highly successful and enjoyable Wieland Wagner Days in Berlin - 9-11 November 2017
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20.10.2017
Testament from the RWVI to the recently deceased Herr Gerald Bunge
We are sad to announce that the long-standing President of the Wagner Society of Wuppertal, Herr Gerald Bunge died suddenly and unexpectedly on 5 October 2017 at the age of 73.
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04.10.2017
Passing of Wagner Gesellschaft Japan President, Professor Yukio Miyake
The RWVI announces, with great sadness, the recent passing of the long-standing President of the Richard-Wagner-Gesellschaft Japan, Professor Yukio Miyake.
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13.09.2017
Ingrid Budde
Ingrid Budde, former President of the International Commission of the RWVI until 2008, died on 30 July 2017.
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13.09.2017
A joyful week in Bayreuth - Scholars' week 2017
The 2017 Scholars’ week (Stipendiatenwoche) at the Bayreuth Festival proved the usual great success.
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29.08.2017
Letter of condolence from RWVI President Eggers on the death of Dietmar Schaffer
Dietmar Schaffer, former President of the Wagner Society of Coburg, died on 10 August 2017.
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15.07.2017
A welcome to the Bayreuth Festival from RWVI President Eggers
RWVI President Eggers has sent the letter below to all Wagner Societies, welcoming them to the 2017 Bayreuth Festival
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23.06.2017
Markus Hinterhäuser wins the 2017 Mortier Award
As part of the finals of the Ring Award 2017, the award of the Gerald Mortier Prize will take place on 24 June at 10:00 in the Schauspielhaus, Graz. The laudatory speech will be given by Peter Sellars.
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28.06.2017
Ring Award 2017 - Winners announced
The Ring Award are delighted to announce the winners of the various prizes for 2017 for this prestigious award for young opera directors and stage designers.
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09.06.2017
Annual General Meeting of the Richard Wagner Verband International
Some photos of the event.
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07.06.2017
Eröffnung Richard-Wagner-Kongress 2017
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11.06.2017
Opening of the Richard Wagner Congress 2017
At the invitation of the Wagner Society of Budapest, the 2017 International Richard Wagner Congress took place in the Hungarian capital.
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12.06.2017
Congress 2017 - Parsifal at Müpa, Budapest
A glorious semi-staged Parsifal at Müpa Budapest conducted by Adam Fischer, as part of the Richard Wagner Congress 2017
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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.
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19.05.2017
Epitaph for Margot Müller
The Richard Wagner Association International mourns Margot Müller, who successfully acted as Chair of one of our member societies for 35 years.
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13.05.2017
President Eggers meets with the WS New York
President Eggers recently met with NYWS President Nathalie Wagner and members of her Board, during the New York meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Society of Friends of Bayreuth.
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07.05.2017
In mourning for Endrik Wottrich
The Board of the RWVI was saddened to learn of the sudden death of Wagner Tenor Endrik Wottrich on 26 April this year.
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20.04.2017
Iconic production of Parsifal revived in Mannheim
Hans Schüler's production of Parsifal celebrated its 60th anniversary in Mannheim, in the presence of Horst Eggers, RWVI President and numerous other Wagner lovers.
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07.03.2017
Wagner Bass Kurt Moll dies at 78
The Bavarian State Opera has announced the death of the German singer Kurt Moll. The dark-voiced bass graced many of the world's leading opera houses until his retirement in 2006.
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31.01.2017
RING AWARD 2017 – Finalists now confirmed
On 13th and 14th January, the semi-finals of the International Competition for Stage and Stage Design, the Ring Award 2017, took place in the studios of the Graz Opera and Next Liberty.
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19.01.2017
Unexpected death of Gerd Grochowski, well-known Wagnerian bass-baritone
Gerd Grochowski, known to Wagner fans the world over as a fine interpreter of the great bass-baritone roles, died unexpectedly on Monday 16 January. We will miss him greatly.
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24.11.2016
Some interesting things to do in Budapest during Congress
We have done some research to give you further information on additional interesting places to visit and enjoy while in Budapest.
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21.11.2016
Wagner Congress 2017, Budapest - The Venues
The history and background to some of the key venues that will feature during the 2017 Annual Wagner Congress in Budapest.
Congratulations to Alessandra Althoff-Pugliese, Vice-President of the RWVI, who was honoured with the annual Richard Wagner Prize awarded by the city of Ravello
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07.11.2016
Some further photos from Singapore
Some further photos from Singapore to share with you
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29.10.2016
The Flying Dutchman in Singapore - a great success
The first Wagner opera to be performed in Singapore premiered last week and was a great success. Members of the RWVI Board and other Wagner Societies were there to see it.
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15.09.2016
A short tribute to the great Wagnerian Heldentenor Johan Botha
The RWVI notes with great regret the recent death of the renowned Wagnerian Heldentenor, Johan Botha.
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19.08.2016
A glorious and fun-filled week for the Bayreuth young scholars
For many, the days when the young artists from all over the world gather in Bayreuth for the Stipendientage are some of the most memorable and exciting of the whole Festival.
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18.08.2016
Sky Arts televises Wagner from Bayreuth and features the RWVI
2016 was a great year for multi-media coverage of the Bayreuth Festival – and also for the RWVI. Sky Arts showed all four parts of the Ring of the Nibelungs in several European countries.
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25.07.2016
Opening of the 2016 Festival Season in Bayreuth
Welcome to today’s premiere of the Bayreuth Festival from Horst Eggers, President of the International Association of Wagner Societies (RWVI)
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03.08.2016
Book Launch in Villa Wahnfried “Vollendet das ewige Werk”!
Although publication of “The History of the Bayreuth Festival” took many years to achieve, this is a work not written for "eternity", rather for readers in the here and now.
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22.05.2016
Richard Wagner Congress in Strasbourg 2016
From 5 - 87 May 2016 over 350 participants from all over the world took part in the Richard Wagner Congress in Strasbourg.
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03.10.2015
The 8th International Singing Competition for Wagner Voices
The singing competition was held over the first weekend of October in glorious Autumn sunshine in the city of Karlsruhe, coinciding with the celebrations of 25 years of German re-unification.
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15.08.2015
Richard Wagner in der zeitgenössischen Fotografie by Gunther Braam
Gunther Braam has just published (supported also by RW Munich) the book: "Richard Wagner in der zeitgenössischen Fotografie (Richard Wagner in contemporary photography)".
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13.05.2015
International Richard Wagner Congress Dessau-Roßlau 2015
Opening ceremony, St. Marienkirche zu Dessau, 14 May 2015