Bayreuth Festival's AI‑driven “Walküre” draws mixed reviews

The Bayreuth Festival used artificial‑intelligence‑generated visual projections for Richard Wagner’s opera *Die Walküre*, replacing traditional stage direction. Festival director Katharina Wagner commissioned a team led by Marcus Lobbes to feed the AI with material from the entire Ring tetralogy, resulting in ever‑changing, often chaotic imagery – from a green sheep pasture to Olympic rings and apocalyptic scenes – displayed on screens behind the singers.

The musical performance was praised, with conductor Christian Thielemann leading the orchestra and lead singers Camilla Nylund (Brünnhilde) and Michael Volle (Wotan) receiving applause. Audience reaction to the AI visuals was divided, many finding the projections confusing or unsettling while others appreciated the novel experiment.

The experiment follows a similarly controversial AI‑driven staging of the festival’s opening *Rheingold*, which also received mixed feedback.