Festspielhaus

…of the Festival Theatre (Festspielhaus) was laid that same year. It opened in 1876 with the premiere performance of the Ring of the Nibelungen cycle. Since Wagner’s death in 1883, the festivals have been carried on by his relatives, including his wife, Cosima, his son Siegfried, and his grandsons…

…music drama, Wagner designed the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, which opened in 1876, marking a rejection of the Baroque stratified auditorium and a return to classical, democratic principles of theatre design. The seating is fan-shaped, a belated acknowledgment of the fact that good lateral sight lines are essential for the enjoyment…