Bayreuther Festspiele Chor In-depth Biography
The Bayreuther Festspiele Chor}, also known as the Chor der Bayreuther Festspiele} (Bayreuth Festival} Choir), is the chorus that sings at the annual Bayreuth Festival} in Germany, held in July and August. This is the opera} house that composer Richard Wagner} constructed for himself, with the help of Bavarian King {%Ludwig II} as the ideal venue for the presentation of his music dramas. The first Bayreuth Festival} was held in 1876, and for this event, vocalists from local singing societies were utilized, although Wagner} was less than happy with the result. In the festivals following his death in 1883, a professional chorus from Munich was hired to sing the festival. Beginning in 1887 the policy changed -- the Bayreuther Festspiele Chor}, consisting of 120 members, would be shaped from an international pool of singers who would be required to audition for admittance, and a new chorus would be raised from scratch every year. Competition among singers for a spot in the Bayreuther Festspiele Chor} is heated, as particularly excellent singers from the chorus are often pressed into small roles in the operas} themselves, or in larger ones if there is a cancellation. Due to the unique construction of the opera} house in Bayreuth, the choir is invisible unless required on-stage by Wagner}'s story, and it's not unusual for chorus members to wear ordinary street clothes to performances.
The Bayreuther Festspiele Chor} has been recording since Bayreuth Festival} performances began appearing on record, starting with Parsifal} in 1927. The choir seldom performs music by any composer other than Wagner}, although when choral works by other composers are given at Bayreuth -- for example, Beethoven}'s Symphony No. 9} -- the singers naturally participate. The Bayreuther Festspiele Chor} has appeared at the Bayreuth Festival} every year since 1887, except in years when the festival itself was not held due to war or other factors. ~ David Lewis, All Music Guide
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