Eek! Another Bayreuth opening

Above is an image from Hans Neuenfels's rat-infested production of Lohengrin, which opened at Bayreuth earlier today. The customary explosion of boos greeted the directing team when they made their bows. On the webcast, I also heard, oddly, a few boos for Andris Nelsons, who, I thought, conducted with pulsing energy and palpable musical authority. Chancellor Angela Merkel was in the audience, and, amid the boos, she was observed to direct applause in Neuenfels's direction. "Das war...