The President of the Richard Wagner Association International, Rainer Fineske said he does not expect the festival to be sold out again until the 2023-24 season.

Fineske said that due to the Coronavirus, the number of visitors to the prestigious festival will be affected. He added, “We have to think positively. After the festival had to be canceled due to the pandemic last year, it is currently taking place again with a reduced number of visitors.”

Fineske noted that that was the right decision and noted that audiences can attend performances if they are “healthy, vaccinated, and keep a distance.”

The Bayreuth Festival opened in July with a new production of “The Flying Dutchman” and made history with Oksana Lyniv becoming the first woman to conduct at the festival.