Germany’s Bayreuth Festival announced the appointment of Thomas Eitler-de Lint as its new chorus director, succeeding Eberhard Friedrich, who resigned last week after nearly 25 years in the role.
Eitler-de Lint is currently chorus director at the Leipzig Opera and has held leadership positions at Vienna Volksoper, the National Opera in Amsterdam, and the choruses for various German radio organizations such as NDR, MDR, and WDR.
Friedrich’s departure, though not completely unanticipated — he was scheduled to retire in 2025 — was unexpected in its timing. He cited recent changes at Bayreuth that “could potentially impact both the sound, musical quality, and precision of the choir” in his decision to step down. The festival had previously announced cost-cutting plans to reduce the chorus by 40%.
The festival says Eitler-de Lint has agreed to a new cost-saving structure that employs a smaller chorus for most performances, yet allows for a larger chorus of up to 134 singers when necessary. “Eitler-de Lint sees the restructuring as an opportunity and, above all, as contemporary,” the festival said in a statement.
The 2024 Bayreuth Festival concludes Aug. 27, and Eitler-de Lint will take up his new role for the 2025 festival.
