Bayrexit

(c) Norman Lebrecht

In the midst of all that Brexit turmoil I seem to have missed all the action in #Bayreuth. 

My go-to-adress to find out what is going on in the world of classical music is Norman Lebrecht. In case you missed it (like me): The conductor Andris Nelsons walked away from Bayreuth only three weeks before the Festspiele's start. The rumour is that he was bullied by Thielemann. Munich's Abendzeitung writes today that the bone of contention seems to have been Nelson's insistance not to stay in Bayreuth for the whole duration of the festival and to fly off to the US in the middle of it to conduct the BSO at the Tanglewood-festival. I asked Norman if Thielemann has a point. Isn't it crazy how these top artist zip around the globe for gigs ? Isn't Bayreuth special, maybe the last totally special spot on earth, where rules of international show-biz don't (or shouldn't) apply? 

Isn't it true, that if you want to work there, you have to be willing to commit to it full-time – mentally and physically?

Here is what Norman has to say about that:

"It is, as you say, a unique spot on earth – but the poison implanted by its founder has an extraordinary capacity to remain in the atmosphere. No-one is ever safe there from sudden and unexpected contamination. No-one ever stays there very long - unless you are the Ring-holding Wagner of your generation."

Mmh. Read on what he has to say on the matter here.

P.S.: The matter has been resolved (-ish) by now.