Wolfgang Wagner
When Wieland died in 1966 Wolfgang was the only director.  He continued the modern ideas of his brother, using very simple staging techniques.  The production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle in 1976 by the opera director Patrice Chéreau was particularly important.  Many people loved it, others disagreed with it.  The production of the Ring Cycle in 1983 by Peter Hall, conducted by Georg Solti celebrated the 100th birthday of Richard Wagner.  People argued about this production, too.  Since then, many famous people have visited the festival, including the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the German President Horst Köhler.  In 1982 Grace Bumbry was the first black person to sing at the festival (she sang the part of Venus in Tannhäuser.  Some of the audience thought this was shocking, but she sang so beautifully that everyone applauded for 30 minutes.  She had to take 42 curtain calls.