Bayreuth Festival Director Apologizes to Michel Friedman, Reinstates Memorial Concert

Katharina Wagner, director of the Bayreuth Festival, has reversed her decision to cancel a memorial concert for Holocaust survivors, apologizing to journalist Michel Friedman and inviting him to attend. The concert, originally scheduled to commemorate victims of the Holocaust, was abruptly canceled last week, sparking widespread criticism. Wagner expressed regret, stating, "I am truly sorry," and confirmed the event will proceed as planned, though some logistical details remain unresolved. Friedman, a German-Jewish public intellectual, had been slated to speak at the concert. The reversal follows intense public and media pressure, highlighting ongoing sensitivities around Holocaust remembrance in Germany's cultural institutions.