The Bayreuth Festival has been the premier Richard Wagner music festival for over 100 years. Located in the southern German state of Bavaria, Beyreuth has an approximate population of 75,000. Being world renowned, the festival is Beyreuth's largest cultural event. This is one reason why Wagner originally started the festival, because there would be little other competition in the city from other cultural events. Wagner put on the first Beyreuth Festival in 1876. Over the years, the festival has dealt with interruptions and changes, but it continues to be a prominent festival that celebrates Richard Wagner's music. In his later years, Bayreuth was Wagner's home.
The Ravello Festival, also known as the "Wagner Festival," is held annually during the summer months in the small Italian town of Ravello. In 1880, Richard Wagner visited the Italian town. He praised the small town's scenic beauty, as it overlooks the rocky Amalfi coast and Mediterranean Sea. In hopes of boosting tourism, the Ravello Festival was first put on in 1953. Because of his acclamation for the town, the original focus of the festival was on Wagner's music. However the festival now showcases a variety of musical genres. Ravello has an approximate population of 2,500.
Performed in Wels, Austria, the Richard Wagner Festival is at the four-star Greif Hotel. Initially put on in 1989, the Richard Wagner Festival is an annual performance that is held during the summer months. Each year, the festival rotates among Wagner pieces. Recent performances include "Tristan und Isolde," "Parsifal," "Der fliegende Holländer," "Siegfried" and "Die Walküre." Located in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, Wels has an approximate population of 60,000 people.
Since 2006, the Wagner in Budapest Opera Festival has been performed in Budapest, Hungary. Although this Richard Wagner festival is relatively new, it has performed some of Wagner's most famous pieces. "Parsifal," "Tristan and Isolde" and "The Ring of the Nibelung" are notable Wagner operas performed at the Wagner in Budapest Festival. The festival is held in the early summer at Budapest's technologically advanced and beautifully designed Palace of Arts (MÜPA), which is located on the Danube waterfront.