Celebrities on the red carpet in Bayreuth

Prominence on the red carpet: Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Karin Baumüller-Söder and her husband, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (left), arrive at the Richard Wagner Festspielhaus. (Photo: KEYSTONE / EPA / RONALD WITTEK)

(nda / dpa / afp)

Especially the public in tuxedos or suits should have been annoyed. Traditionally, celebrity guests cross the red carpet to get to the world-famous Royal Opera House on the day of the opening of the festival.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in a dazzling combination of blazer and long skirt, with her husband Joachim Sauer. They were accompanied by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Chancellor signaled to the audience and received friendly applause.

"Lohengrin" at the opening

Merkel had officially said goodbye to the holidays last week. Most of the time, a visit to the festival is part of the summer leisure program of the German head of government.

The appearance of the FDP leader Lindner, who showed up in public for the first time with his new friend Franca Lehfeldt, drew attention. Lindner had made public the relationship with the 28-year-old employee of the RTL TV channel until Wednesday in the magazine "Bunte".

The re-production of the opera "Lohengrin" was on the program of the opening of the Richard Wagner Festival. Incidentally, in summer, guests must also sweat in the Festspielhaus – the building is not air-conditioned. This year's festival season lasts until August 29

Developing the View

Bayreuth Festival Director, Katharina Wagner, wants to further develop the world-renowned opera festival. If she stays in Bayreuth beyond her contract expiring in 2020, "the preservation and development of the Bayreuth Festival would be paramount," Wagner said in Mannheimer Morgen on Wednesday.

"Since the festival has long been held again and again" They are too monothematic, there are already considerations and attempts to find out if and how the program could extend, "said festival director

It is mainly about the vision of Richard Wagner's work as open as it is controversial to extend. "These are artistic and intellectual bridges between the tradition of the festival and the new, unknown or unknown that we want to undertake. . "