Richard Wagner's antisemitism resurfaces at Bayreuth Festival

The 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival has brought renewed attention to composer Richard Wagner's antisemitic views following the cancellation of a planned speech by Michel Friedman. Friedman, a lawyer, essayist, and former vice-president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, was scheduled to address Wagner's antisemitism at the festival. His intervention was cancelled, prompting him to state, "The ground of Bayreuth is contaminated." Friedman's family history includes relatives who survived the Shoah with assistance from Oskar Schindler. The incident has reignited discussions surrounding Wagner's legacy and its connection to the festival's historical context.

Sources: Le Monde — International