Bayreuth Festival named by Bavaria's culture minister, Thomas Goppel, to take over the Festival. They were to take up their duties immediately, since their father had announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2008 Festival. They were chosen ahead of the pair of their cousin, Nike Wagner, and Gerard Mortier, who had placed a late bid for the directorship on 24 August. The conductor Christian Thielemann has agreed to act as chief adviser to the new directors, effectively taking the role of music director of the Festival. The festival draws thousands of Wagner fans to Bayreuth every summer. It is very
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