World
Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends Bayreuth Festival's 2026 jubilee edition
German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and his wife Charlotte arrived on July 25, 2026 at the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, Bavaria, for the jubilee edition of the Bayreuth Festival, an opera festival founded in 1876 by Richard Wagner and dedicated to his ten major operas. The German Press Agency (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa) reports that the couple appeared visibly relaxed upon arrival. Charlotte Merz wore a shimmering green evening gown. The couple appeared for a few minutes before onlookers and photographers gathered in front of the Festspielhaus before entering the hall.