The Bayreuth Festival is the world's preeminent opera festival, dedicated exclusively to the works of Richard Wagner. Held annually in the Bayreuth Festspielhaus — a theater Wagner himself designed and built on the Green Hill above Bayreuth, Germany — the festival has been running since 1876. The Festspielhaus's unique covered orchestra pit creates the distinctive 'Bayreuth sound' that makes Wagner's operas resonate unlike anywhere else in the world. Tickets are among the most sought-after in classical music, with wait times of up to 10 years. The festival is managed by the Wagner family to this day and remains the definitive venue for experiencing Wagner's Ring cycle and other major works.
Bayreuth, Germany