Richard Wagner of the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, who thought the work "divinely composed", and that of the French newspaper "Le Figaro", which called the music "the dream of a lunatic". Amongst the disillusioned were Wagner's friend and disciple Friedrich Nietzsche, who, having published his eulogistic essay "Richard Wagner in Bayreuth" before the festival as part of his "Untimely Meditations", was bitterly disappointed by what he saw as Wagner's pandering to increasingly exclusivist German nationalism; his breach with Wagner began at this time. The festival firmly established Wagner as an artist of European, and indeed world, importance: attendees included Kaiser Wilhelm I,
Bavarian Blast Bavarian Blast Bavarian Blast is the summer festival held every year in New Ulm, Minnesota, United States. With numerous bands, activities and attractions the festival has been growing. It started off in the downtown area (mainly German Park) but has expanded to the point that the location was moved to the local fair grounds. The weekend event includes bands from Germany, local bands, Tubamania, 10K Race, and a parade. The festival is held mid-July. While Bavarian Blast is young, its true past goes back to polkas. New Ulm was once referred to as the "polka capital of the world" and