Bayreuth Bayreuth Bayreuth (; ) (Bavarian: Bareid) is a medium-sized city in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtelgebirge Mountains. The town's roots date back to 1194. In the early 21st century, it is the capital of Upper Franconia and has a population of 72,148 (2015). It is world-famous for its annual Bayreuth Festival, at which performances of operas by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. The town is believed to have been founded by the counts of Andechs probably around the mid-12th century, but was first mentioned
London Handel Festival London Handel Festival The London Handel Festival is an annual music festival centred on the compositions of George Frideric Handel. The festival also features other composers. It includes a Handel Singing Competition. It was founded by Denys Darlow, who was succeeded as musical director in 1999 by Laurence Cummings. Since 2011 Cummings has combined his work in London with the artistic directorship of the Göttingen International Handel Festival in Germany. A regular venue for concerts is the church the composer attended, St George's, Hanover Square, near his home on Brook Street. The original organ was completed in 1725, but although