BERLIN - Gudrun Wagner, wife of the Bayreuth Opera Festival's director and a key figure in the family battle over control of the arts institution that was founded by composer Richard Wagner, died Wednesday. She was 63.
She died unexpectedly Wednesday morning at a Bayreuth hospital. No cause of death was given, said Peter Emmerich, a spokesman for the festival.
"It is with deep emotion and with silent grief that I must convey that this morning my loving wife and close co-worker Gudrun Wagner died fully unexpectedly," Wolfgang Wagner said in a statement.
Her death comes amid the feud over who will succeed Wagner — a grandson of the composer — as festival director.
Wagner, 88, had long insisted that his second wife and partner in directing and staging the annual festival was the only person capable of taking over.
"As the most important assistant and supporter of her husband, she shaped the luster and the worldwide significance of the Wagner festival in Bayreuth," said Guenther Beckstein, state governor of Bavaria. "Her death is a deep loss to Bavaria, Bayreuth and the global festival community."
But recently, Wagner has indicated that he would be prepared to step aside in favor of the couple's 29-year-old daughter, Katharina.
Wolfgang Wagner has led the festival showcasing his grandfather's operas since 1951 — at first jointly with his brother, Wieland, and on his own since his brother's death in 1966. He married Gudrun in 1976.
He recently has faced calls to step aside from the festival leadership, although he has a lifetime contract, amid concerns about his health and a feeling the annual event would benefit from an injection of fresh ideas.
In early November, the foundation overseeing the festival urged members of the Wagner family to come forward with ideas for the event's future.
Wolfgang's niece Nike, and Eva, a daughter from his first marriage, have indicated interest. Both are experienced managers of artistic or musical events and are in their 60s.
Katharina made her directorial debut at Bayreuth this year, producing a closely watched interpretation of "Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg."
In an effort to bolster her chances and counter criticism that she is too young and inexperienced, Katharina, who is in her early 30s, recently teamed up with star German conductor Christian Thielemann, 48, and composer and cultural manager Peter Ruzicka, 57.
Katharina has argued that the current festival leadership has already signed contracts with artists well into the year 2015. She told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper in September that her rivals would be "well above retirement age" before they were able to put their own stamp on the event.
Gudrun Wagner had two other children from a previous marriage. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
Source: news.yahoo.com
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