Bayreuth memorial event does take place: Katharina Wagner apologizes to Michel Friedman

As originally planned, the memorial concert entitled “Silent Voices” will take place on the morning of July 26th, before the premiere of the opera “Rienzi,” Wagner told dpa.

The cancellation sparked widespread criticism

The management had previously informed the Jewish publicist Michel Friedman, who had been invited to speak, that the event had to be canceled due to “security concerns”. He made the cancellation public and expressed sharp criticism, which others, such as Bavaria’s Art Minister Markus Blume (CSU) and the President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch, agreed.

“I expect the festival management to find a solution for the event and show that we stand together in the fight against anti-Semitism,” said Blume on Thursday. The festival’s handling of this issue “has unfortunately been more than unfortunate in the last few days”.

Friedman accepts apology

As the “SZ” reported, Katharina Wagner apologized to Friedman for being disinvited. The author and moderator had previously spoken of an “oath of revelation” and “death by suicide”, Knobloch of a “declaration of bankruptcy”. Friedman called the apology “serious and credible” in the newspaper. He said, “If someone moves, you should move with them.”

The composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883), founder of the Bayreuth Festival, wrote anti-Semitic writings and repeatedly made clearly anti-Semitic statements. The festival was later considered to be closely intertwined with nationalist-ethnic ideas and ultimately with National Socialism. Adolf Hitler was a frequent guest in Bayreuth.