German newspapers are reporting that Wim Wenders now won't be directing the 2013 Bayreuth Ring after failing to reach agreement with the Festival management.
The two parties had earlier seemed close to agreement, with set designs already in progress.
But the main sticking point was a proposed 3-D film of the production. Wenders wanted the Bayreuth Festival to provide millions in financing, and wouldn't have been able come up with a finished movie until 2015-16. It was reported that Katharina Wagner wouldn't tolerate this sort of 'arrogance'.
This leaves whoever takes over - and Katharina herself can't be ruled out at this stage, despite her other commitments - with only a couple of years to prepare. Not a long time in the world of opera. Tankred Dorst pulled together the last Bayreuth Ring in a similar time scale after Lars von Trier withdrew - and just look at how that turned out.
