Bayreuth memories: 1980s - 2000s

Thank you to Richard King [member no. 15], Margaret & Clare Hennessy [member no. 19] and Leona Geeves [member no. 87] for the early memories.

 

1980s

 

Richard King on the steps of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus
1987: WS member Richard King on the steps of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus [photo, Richard King].

 

Frau Wagner, Richard King, Lady Gallagher and Herr Wagner
1987: During Richard King's visit to Bayreuth, he and fellow member Lady Galleghan were guests of Gudrun and Wolfgang Wagner at supper at the Festspielhaus during the last intermission of 'Tristan und Isolde'. L-R Frau Wagner, Richard King, Lady Gallagher and Herr Wagner [photo, Richard King].

 

Gudrun & Wolfgang Wagner
1987: Gudrun & Wolfgang Wagner [photo, Richard King].

 

Richard King & Lady Galleghan with Wolfgang Wagner
1987: On stage during intermission when they were shown the sets. L-R members Richard King & Lady Galleghan with Wolfgang Wagner & unknown [photo, Richard King].

 

 

Leonard Hansen & Richard King with birthday presentation to Wolfgang Wagner 1989
25 August 1989: L-R President Richard King [15] with Vice-President Dr Leonard Hansen who presented Wolfgang Wagner on behalf of the Wagner Society in NSW with a special gift on the occasion of his 70th birthday which he would be celebrating on 30 August. The gift was a hand crafted lino-cut of Wolfgang's personal ex libris book plate. This was witnessed by a small contingent of Society members [photo, Richard King].

 

A copy of the Book Plate from an original lino-cut designed by Franck Marjason which was presented to Wolfgang Wagner
A copy of the Book Plate from an original lino-cut designed by Franck Marjason & presented to Wolfgang Wagner [photo, Newsletter No. 37].

 

Donald MacIntyre
1987: Donald MacIntyre (Amfortas) at a Bayreuth bookshop [photo, Richard King].

 

Unknown, Frau Wagner, Wolfgang Wagner, Lady Galleghan, Dr Hansen & Richard King
August 1989: Dinner with the Wagners. L-R Unknown, Frau Wagner, Wolfgang Wagner, Lady Galleghan, Dr Hansen [WS Vice-President] and Richard King [WS President] [photo, Richard King].

 

unknown, Wolfgang Wagner with members Lady Galleghan & Richard King
August 1989: On stage, L-R unknown, Wolfgang Wagner with members Lady Galleghan & Richard King [photo, Richard King].

 

Wolfgang Wagner with members Lady Galleghan & Dr Hansen [Vice-President], with unknown
August 1989: On stage, L-R Wolfgang Wagner with members Lady Galleghan & Dr Hansen [Vice-President], with unknown [photo, Richard King].

 

unknown, Wolfgang Wagner, Dr Hansen [Vice-President], Lady Galleghan [member] & unknown
August 1989: On stage, L-R unknown, Wolfgang Wagner, Dr Hansen [Vice-President], Lady Galleghan [member] & unknown [photo, Richard King].

 

Dr Hansen
August 1989: On stage, Dr Hansen [Vice-President] [photo, Richard King].

 

1990s

 

Members Willi & Hanna Spiller, Barbara McNulty, Leona Geeves, Pamela Thomas, Patricia Baillie, Graham Thomas & Japanese fan
c1993: L-R Members Willi & Hanna Spiller, Barbara McNulty, Leona Geeves, Pamela Thomas, Patricia Baillie, Graham Thomas & Japanese fan [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Leona Geeves, Garry Richards, Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Bill and Edna Watson
1994: L-R Members Leona Geeves, Garry Richards, Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Bill and Edna Watson [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Garry Richards, Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Bill and Edna Watson
1994: L-R Members Garry Richards, Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Bill and Edna Watson [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Hilda Perini, Phil ?, Rosemary Cater-Smith, Alec Cater & Margaret Budge
1994: L-R Members Hilda Perini, Phil ?, Rosemary Cater-Smith, Alec Cater & Margaret Budge [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Edna and Bill Watson
1994: L-R Members Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Edna and Bill Watson [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

1994:
1994: Members Reg & Betty Maloney, Margaret & Clare Hennessy [photo, Margaret & Clare Hennessy]

 

1994
1994: Members Reg & Betty Maloney, Margaret & Clare Hennessy [photo, Margaret & Clare Hennessy]

 

1994
1994: Wolfgang Wagner [photo, Margaret & Clare Hennessy]

 

Leona in the queue for Wolfgang Wagner to sign copies of his book
1995: Leona in the queue for Wolfgang Wagner to sign copies of his book 'Acts: The Autobiography of Wolfgang Wagner' in front of the Festspielhaus [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Wolfgang Wagner signing a copy of his book
1995: Wolfgang Wagner signing a copy of his book [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Wolfgang Wagner signing Leona's program
1995: Wolfgang Wagner signing Leona's program [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Leona with fellow members Marian Purvis & Dennis Mather
1990s: Leona with fellow members Marian Purvis & Dennis Mather [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Dinner at Der Eule, Bayreuth. Leona was translating the menu for members Helena and Bob Carr, & Sandra and Tony Wheeler
1990s: Dinner at Der Eule, Bayreuth. Leona was translating the menu for members Helena and Bob Carr, & Sandra and Tony Wheeler [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Justice Jane Mathews AO, Joan Griffin, Leona & Dr Terence Watson 
1990s: L-R Members Justice Jane Mathews AO, Joan Griffin, Leona & Dr Terence Watson [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Leona with fellow members Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Edna Watson
1990s: L-R: Leona with fellow members Margaret Budge, Hilda Perini & Edna Watson [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Barbara McNulty, Hilda Perini & Margaret Budge
1990s: L-R Members Barbara McNulty, Hilda Perini & Margaret Budge [photo, Leona Geeves]. 

 

Siegfried Jerusalem signing Leona's Bayreuth program
1990s: Siegfried Jerusalem signing Leona's program [photo, Leona Geeves]. 

 

 Leona with chorus master, Herr Norbert Balatsch and his then wife Frau Balatsch
1990s Gala Dinner presented by Sherwin Sloan and the Wagner Society of Southern California: Leona with chorus master, Herr Norbert Balatsch & his then wife Frau Balatsch [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Leona with Gudrun Wagner, member Lady Galleghan & Wolfgang Wagner
1990s Gala Dinner: L-R, Leona with Gudrun Wagner, member Lady Galleghan & Wolfgang Wagner [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

2000s

 

Leona with fellow member Robert Lloyd
2000: Leona with fellow member Robert Lloyd [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Naomi Kaldor, Jane Mathews, Leona & Siss Harnett
2000: L-R Members Naomi Kaldor, Jane Mathews, Leona & Siss Harnett [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Members Naomi Kaldor, Robert Lloyd, Joan Griffin, Donald Campbell & Barbara McNulty
2000: L-R Members Naomi Kaldor, Robert Lloyd, Joan Griffin, Donald Campbell & Barbara McNulty [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Unknown & Baroness Lotti von Chiari with members Robert Lloyd, Jim Leigh & Siss Hartnett
2000: L-R Unknown & Baroness Lotti von Chiari with members Robert Lloyd, Jim Leigh & Siss Hartnett [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Leona with Linda Watson (Ortrud) & Melanie Diener (Elsa von Brabant)
2000: Leona with Linda Watson (Ortrud) & Melanie Diener (Elsa von Brabant) [photo, Leona Geeves].

 

Menu from the Gala Dinner
Menu from the Gala Dinner
21 August 2000: Menu from the Gala Dinner, presented by Sherwin Sloan and the Wagner Society of Southern California, in honour of Wolfgang Wagner [photos, Leona Geeves].

These annual dinners were held in the Festspielhaus Restaurant starting immediately after the performance of 'Das Rheingold' in the last cycle of Ring performances, and were well-attended by English-speaking visitors to the Festival, and by singers and other artists taking part in the productions. Dr Sloan was perhaps better known as the person who in retirement was a passionate follower of Ring Cycles, allegedly attending performances from some 90 different productions.

 

2010s

 

2016: From left, members Lis Bergmann & Pauline Holgerson with Andreas Schager at the Bayreuth Festival [photo, Lis Bergmann].
2016: From left, members Lis Bergmann & Pauline Holgerson with Andreas Schager at the Bayreuth Festival [photo, Lis Bergmann].

 

2017: From left, members Robert French (Bayreuth first timer), Colin Baskerville, Pauline Holgerson & Michael Day at Bayreuth [photo, Terence Watson].
2017: From left, members Robert French (Bayreuth first timer), Colin Baskerville, Pauline Holgerson & Michael Day at Bayreuth [photo, Terence Watson].

 

2018: Mailis Wakeham with friend in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Bayreuth in 2018.
2018: Mailis Wakeham with friend in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Bayreuth in 2018.

 

2020s

 

2022: Antipodeans at Bayreuth Cycle III, from left: James Poole (WSSingapore), Garry Richards (WSNSW-ACT 366), John Meyer (WSWA), Esteban Insausti (WSNSW 433), Simon Whitaker (WSNSW), Gavin Crank (WSNSW 1193) & Ross Whitelaw (WSNSW 527).
2022: Antipodeans at Bayreuth Cycle III, from left: James Poole (WSSingapore), Garry Richards (WSNSW-ACT 366), John Meyer (WSWA), Esteban Insausti (WSNSW 433), Simon Whitaker (WSNSW), Gavin Crank (WSNSW 1193) & Ross Whitelaw (WSNSW 527).

 

WSNSW President Esteban Insausti [433] before the performance of 'Der fliegende Holländer' at Bayreuth.
2022: WSNSW President Esteban Insausti [433] before the performance of 'Der fliegende Holländer' at Bayreuth.

 

2024: Our Patron Simone Young - first day at Bayreuth, 21/06/24 [photo, Simone Young]
2024: Our Patron Simone Young - first day at Bayreuth, 21/06/24, to conduct the Ring Cycle [photo, Simone Young]