Overview
- Kirill Petrenko led the Berliner Philharmoniker in Wagner’s Rheingold at the Salzburg Easter Festival, drawing praise for speed, detail and a clear, chamber‑like sound.
- Director Kirill Serebrennikov placed the drama in an Africa‑inspired world with ritual costumes and roaming video screens, a choice several reviews judged visually overstuffed, with some boos reported.
- Baritone Christian Gerhaher debuted as Wotan and won notice for insight and diction, though critics said his voice lacked the heft the role demands in this space.
- The production played in the Felsenreitschule, an atmospheric venue with tricky acoustics that can swallow lighter voices, as the main Festspielhaus undergoes renovation.
- Festival leaders plan a full Ring over several years, with Die Walküre next and a Moses und Aron interlude in 2028, while a separate leadership jolt saw Summer Festival chief Markus Hinterhäuser placed on leave just before the premiere.