Past Events

Bayreuth Artist Talks 2025

Bayreuth Artist Talk: Michael Nagy

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Michael Nagy will be singing Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger this year and has sung Wolfram von Eschenbach in Tannhäuser, 2011-13. Join us for the Bayreuth Artists Talks Series, an engaging opportunity to connect with the exceptional performers of the Bayreuth Festival. These intimate sessions offer audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes as artists reflect on their careers, share insights into their roles and creative processes, and discuss the unique experience of performing at Bayreuth. With a relaxed and informal setting, these conversations provide a deeper understanding of the works the artists bring to life on stage, making each event a memorable encounter with the people behind the music.

$15.00 – $60.00
Bayreuth Artist Talks 2025

Bayreuth Artist Talk: Matthew Newlin

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Matthew Newlin sings Eisslinger in Die Meistersinger, Junger Seemann in Tristan und Isolde, and the 4th Knappe in Parsifal at the Festival this year. Join us in 2025 for the Bayreuth Artists Talks Series, an engaging opportunity to connect with the exceptional performers of the Bayreuth Festival. These intimate sessions offer audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes as artists reflect on their careers, share insights into their roles and creative processes, and discuss the unique experience of performing at Bayreuth. With a relaxed and informal setting, these conversations provide a deeper understanding of the works the artists bring to life on stage, making each event a memorable encounter with the people behind the music.

$15.00 – $60.00
Bayreuth Artist Talks 2025

Bayreuth Artist Talk: Michael Spyres

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Michael Spyres sings Siegmund in Die Walküre and Walther in Die Meistersinger at the Bayreuth Festival this summer. Join us for the Bayreuth Artists Talks Series, an engaging opportunity to connect with the exceptional performers of the Bayreuth Festival. These intimate sessions offer audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes as artists reflect on their careers, share insights into their roles and creative processes, and discuss the unique experience of performing at Bayreuth.

$15.00 – $60.00
Bayreuth Artist Talks 2025

Bayreuth Artist Talk: Jordan Shanahan

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Jordan Shanahan singe Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde, Klingsor in Parsifal, and Kothner in Die Meistersinger at the Bayreuth Festival this year. Join us for the Bayreuth Artists Talks Series, an engaging opportunity to connect with the exceptional performers of the Bayreuth Festival. These intimate sessions offer audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes as artists reflect on their careers, share insights into their roles and creative processes, and discuss the unique experience of performing at Bayreuth.

$15.00 – $60.00
Bayreuth Artist Talks 2025

Bayreuth Artist Talk: Ekaterina Gubanova

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Ekaterina Gubanova this year will sing Kundry in Parsifal and Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde; from 2019-24 she performed Venus in Tannhäuser at the Bayreuth Festival. Join us in for the Bayreuth Artists Talks Series, an engaging opportunity to connect with the exceptional performers of the Bayreuth Festival. These intimate sessions offer audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes as artists reflect on their careers, share insights into their roles and creative processes, and discuss the unique experience of performing at Bayreuth.

$15.00 – $60.00

Wagnerian Techniques in Film Scores: Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings

National Opera Center 330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY, United States
Hybrid Event

In his decades-long career as a musician, Doug Adams has remained in-demand as a performer, a composer/arranger, an author, and a lecturer.  He was selected by Howard Shore to observe and document his work on The Lord of the Rings films – a score performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, eventually exceeding 13 hours, and consistently cited as one of the best film scores ever written.

Free – $15.00

Seminar: Die Frau ohne Schatten

Bohemian National Hall 321 E 73rd St., Third Floor, New York, United States
Hybrid Event

This is the Society’s annual “deep dive” into a Wagner-related work currently in the repertory of the Metropolitan Opera.  This year we will visit a work that many regard as Richard Strauss’s masterpiece: Die Frau ohne Schatten.  Speakers include Prof. Bryan Gilliam of Duke University, Prof. Larry Wolff of New York University, and our very popular Singers’ Roundtable featuring members of the cast of the Met production.  Critic and lecturer David Shengold will return as our Moderator.

Free – $200.00

A View from the Prompter’s Box with Craig Rutenberg

National Opera Center 330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY, United States
Hybrid Event

Former Head of Music Staff at the Metropolitan Opera, Craig Rutenberg explains what a prompter does, what preparation prompters undergo in a particular production, and how a good prompter can rescue performers from disaster. He will also discuss the various responsibilities of the music staff at the Met — from rehearsal pianist to diction coach to assistant conductor to prompter.

Free – $15.00

Bayreuth Talk: Soprano Catherine Foster

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Exploring the works in-depth with the artists performing in the Festival, we continue our series of Artists' Talks in 2024. On Thursday, 22 August we welcome soprano Catherine Foster, who will be singing Brünnhilde in Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung in the Ring Cycle at this year's festival. Performers will discuss their careers, the challenges and rewards of working at Bayreuth, and answer audience questions in an informal atmosphere.

Free – $20.00

Bayreuth Talk: Bass Tobias Kehrer

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Exploring the works in-depth with the artists performing in the Festival, we continue our series of Artists' Talks in 2024. On Wednesday, 21 August we welcome bass Tobias Kehrer, who will be performing Fafner in Das Rheingold and Siegfried and Titurel in Parsifal. Performers will discuss their careers, the challenges and rewards of working at Bayreuth, and answer audience questions in an informal atmosphere.

Free – $20.00

Bayreuth Talk: Bass-Baritone Nicholas Brownlee

Arvena Kongress Hotel Eduard-Bayerlin Str. 5a, Bayreuth, Germany

Exploring the works in-depth with the artists performing in the Festival, we continue our series of Artists' Talks in 2024. On Tuesday, 20 August we welcome bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee, who will be performing Donner in Das Rheingold. Performers will discuss their careers, the challenges and rewards of working at Bayreuth, and answer audience questions in an informal atmosphere.

Free – $20.00