Bayreuth has more women batons than men. Sign of the times?

Bayreuth has more women batons than men. Sign of the times?

Opera

norman lebrecht

January 12, 2024

The late appointment of Simone Young as this summer’s Ring conductor changes the gender balance at the Wagner stronghold.

Young joins Oksana Lyniv and Nathalie Stutzmann in this year’s baton charge. Only two men left: Semyon Bychkov and Pablo Heras-Casado.

Is that a big deal? Not really. Bayreuth, for most of its 150-year history, has been run by women: Cosima, Winifred, now Katharina, Wagner.

Comments

  • John Borstlap says:

    Wagner himself was always in thrall of the phenomenon of ‘woman’. That went so far that he dressed himself in overblown female gear when composing about teutonic heroes, to be inspired to the full. In his writings he claimed that women were more developed than men, and he was always much pleased about the tearful enthusiasm of his female audience, both of his operas and his private lecturing. His love life has been described by biographers with half-disapproving glee.

    • John Borstlap says:

      I don’t understand what is not to like about facts that can be found in any biography of the man. I think these things are to his credit.

  • Player says:

    What happen to Pietari Inkinen? He was ill in 2022, replaced by Cornelius Meister, did the Ring last year, and now he is out?

    You yourself reported that Philippe Jordan was slated to take it over this year?

    https://slippedisc.com/2023/07/battered-bayreuth-rolls-out-three-years-at-once/

    Time for more enquiries!

    • Manu says:

      Inkinen did a fine job and with good reviews. This decision is political, not musical.

    • Emil says:

      They announced yesterday that Jordan had withdrawn, to be replaced with Young. Indeed, no scandal there.

      Not sure if Inkinen or Bayreuth decided to change, but of course Philippe Jordan is a much more high-profile conductor than Inkinen (whether merited or not; Jordan is a very fine Wagner conductor, for sure).

  • FrauGeigerin says:

    It is a sign of “fashion”. Of all the conductors listed the only ones who actually deserve that honour are Simon Young, and Semyon Bychkov. Pablo Heras casado is not experience enough and Oksana Lyniv and Nathalie Stutzmann have no place in such a sacred place.

    • Anthony Sayer says:

      Bravo, Frau Geigerin.

    • Antwerp Smerle says:

      I heard Lyniv’s “Flying Dutchman” at Bayreuth in 2022. It was taut, visceral and well aligned with Tcherniakov’s “film noir” production. Her conducting reminded me of Sinopoli at his best.

    • Gwin says:

      So all the audience members, cast, orchestra, critics, etc. who praised highly Stutzmann’s Bayreuth debut; to wit (“she has the Bayreuth gene”), are woefully mistaken in their collective analysis and enthusiasm?

  • Conductora says:

    Vanessa Benelli Mosell will be conducting at Bayreuth in the future.

  • Raymondo says:

    Man? Woman? Trans-Creature? Who cares? Just get on with it and the audience will judge!

  • NeoBayreuthian says:

    Can’t help but wonder if DEI and wokeism have made their way thru, at a time when the pendulum is already swinging back; hopefully artistic talent and competence will always prevail on quotas and who knows what, when it come to selection.
    On the sad side I was looking forward to Jordan; I already missed him in Paris because COVID

  • MOST READ TODAY: