Opera Director. For 15 years, he served as co-director of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus where he presented the music of his grandfather, Richard Wagner. Raised within the operatic setting of Bayreuth, he was early-on prepared for his eventual responsibilities. During the 1930s, he became associated with Hitler, whom he and his siblings called "Uncle Wolf", though he was later to equivocate over just how close the association was. Wieland designed a production of "Parsifal" in 1937 that gave a preview of the direction his later work would take, using film projection for some scenes. During WWII, he was exempt from military service (his brother Wolfgang was injured in combat), working instead as a civilian leader in the Flossenburg concentration camp, where rocket parts were made. Heavily damaged in the war, Bayreuth was closed from 1944 until 1951; when it reopened, Wieland and Wolfgang were made joint directors, their mother Winifred having been banned as an unreconstructed Nazi. Wieland was to be the developer thru his set designs and stage direction of "Regietheater", the presentation of Wagnerian opera in a modern setting. His productions, particularly of "Siegfried" and "Die Meistersinger" received mixed reviews at the time, but his group of strong singers and conductors make recordings of them continue to be sought. Wieland's work at Bayreuth led to invitations for him to present Wagner's operas, as well as Beethoven's "Fidelio", throughout Europe. Wieland was awarded the 1965 Pour le Merite; at his death from lung cancer, his brother Wolfgang assumed full control of Bayreuth.
Opera Director. For 15 years, he served as co-director of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus where he presented the music of his grandfather, Richard Wagner. Raised within the operatic setting of Bayreuth, he was early-on prepared for his eventual responsibilities. During the 1930s, he became associated with Hitler, whom he and his siblings called "Uncle Wolf", though he was later to equivocate over just how close the association was. Wieland designed a production of "Parsifal" in 1937 that gave a preview of the direction his later work would take, using film projection for some scenes. During WWII, he was exempt from military service (his brother Wolfgang was injured in combat), working instead as a civilian leader in the Flossenburg concentration camp, where rocket parts were made. Heavily damaged in the war, Bayreuth was closed from 1944 until 1951; when it reopened, Wieland and Wolfgang were made joint directors, their mother Winifred having been banned as an unreconstructed Nazi. Wieland was to be the developer thru his set designs and stage direction of "Regietheater", the presentation of Wagnerian opera in a modern setting. His productions, particularly of "Siegfried" and "Die Meistersinger" received mixed reviews at the time, but his group of strong singers and conductors make recordings of them continue to be sought. Wieland's work at Bayreuth led to invitations for him to present Wagner's operas, as well as Beethoven's "Fidelio", throughout Europe. Wieland was awarded the 1965 Pour le Merite; at his death from lung cancer, his brother Wolfgang assumed full control of Bayreuth.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Wagner memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
