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This American saying refers to the final aria of valkyrie Brunhilde, after which the four-part opera “The Ring of the Nibelung” by Richard Wagner finally ends, after a total duration of around 16 hours. Wagner, born in Leipzig in 1813, wrote and composed “The Ring” between 1848 and 1874, and wanted to have it performed in an opera house designed to his specific liking. Financed to a large part by King Ludwig II of Bavaria (who built Neuschwanstein, the Bavarian castle you can find in the Disney logo), Wagner’s "Festival Opera House" was finished in 1876. Ever since then, it has been the site of the annual Bayreuth Festival, which lasts for about one month at the height of summer.
The Bayreuth Festival is the opera event of the year in Germany and it is the place for Wagner lovers from all over the world to attend and to be seen at. Floor-length dresses and tuxedos are the expected norm, even though this tradition seems to fade.
Why am I telling you this? Because this is where my wife and I recently went, both bedizened with new floor-length dresses, high heels and lots of jewelry. At 2:00pm, we left our hotel and headed to the hilltop “Grüner Hügel,” upon which the Festival Opera House sits, and where the performance was due to start at 4:00pm. Around the opera house, there are several restaurants, bars, and food stalls and we had booked an arrangement at one of these restaurants. We had an assigned table, with fine buffet food and a well-stocked bar, all day long - before the performance, during the intermissions and for a night-cap afterwards.
The whole atmosphere was so much fun to experience (again), and even more so en femme: elegant people strolling about the Festival Opera House and its gardens, fanfares on the balcony announcing the approaching beginning of the next act (rather than a mundane bell), classical music, serious acting, dead silence during the performance, happy smiles, and classy Champagne. With temperatures in the late afternoon around 30°C (86 F), sitting in an opera house that lacks an A/C and is filled with more than 1900 people, wearing a floor length dress, is – let’s say, cozy, though.
On the schedule for the day we were in Bayreuth was not a part of “The Ring”, but Wagner’s last major opera called “Parsifal,” which premiered in Bayreuth on July 26, 1882. The opera lasted for six hours, including two one-hour intermissions. There was lots of drama in the story: mystery, intrigue, despair, new beginnings, but also – due to its modern interpretation – lots of femininity and lots of pink in the second act. So much so, that (for those of you familiar with the plot) even Klingsor – and not just the girls in his magic garden – wore a pink suit and red pumps.
You might already know that Franziska’s favorite things to do are travelling and enjoying culture. If you didn't, I encourage you to read my previous articles “Why I love travelling en femme" https://www.crossdresserheaven.com/why-i-love-travelling-en-femme/ posted on 23 March 2023 and “Why I love opera and ballet” https://www.crossdresserheaven.com/ why-i-love-opera-and-ballet/ posted on 18 August 2023. There will also be more pictures and the full story coming up on Franziska’s "Out and about" blog in a couple of weeks.
This was one of my best days out en femme, not only for setting and occasion, but – in particular – for having been able to enjoy this day out and about together with my wife.
Tell me about your most exciting days out and about en femme! Did you visit any major events? Were you able to pose for a picture in front of the Step and Repeat banner? How did it feel - like being a celebrity? Did it make you seek out other exciting and more daring places or events to visit en femme?
@franziskafrankfurt I am so glad you were able to share this experience with your wife. I have attended a few life theatrical performances en femme, but alas, my ex wife was not willing to accompany me 🙁
@kimdl94 Dear Kim, Thanks for your comment. I have only had few experiences going out with my wife and hope to do that more often. I am also hoping for a weekend trip en femme with her one day. Love, Franzi
@franziskafrankfurt You always have the most wonderful experiences! I love art and definitely need to start getting out to local art museums more.
@lauren114 Dear Lauren, Thanks for your comment. Give it a try. Especially arts museums provide fantastic backgrounds for pictures. Check out my out-and-about blog for many examples. And there are more to come from my recent trips to Cologne and Düsseldorf. Love, Franzi
Hello Cynthia hope you are ok
@al800 Dear Chloe, I am afraid that this message was meant for somebody else. 🙂
The answer is, "No" to all of your questions, Franziska. But you look absolutely fabulous! What a wonderful experience!
Wow, what a wonderful experience, and I do not even like opera, though I do enjoy the ballet.
The best I can say is I have enjoued to plays in London as I traveled through on two.seprate trips. While I was not fully en femme, I did get to enjoy the performances in skirts, stockings and make up. Nobody cated in the least as I walked aeound Picadilly or rode the underground.
@jjandme Dear JJ, Thanks for your comment. That is a challenge that I have yet to take up. Thanks for sharing. Franzi
What a lovely and elegant look on you! Glad you had a fabulous time! 🙂
Hi Franziska, What a great day/night out. I also go to Plays, Symphony or Ballet dressed up. The Nutcracker is an annual event to celebrate the Holidays. My SO and I also lament the fact that, although most people do dress up, many do not. We have decided to make a game of it and find the worst dressed person there. Sometimes there are multiple ties for first place. We sometimes ask others to join in our game and we all have a good laugh. I enjoyed viewing your profile photos as they show you out and about in public. I recently started to change my photos and do the same. Long way to go to catch up with you. A well dressed woman is always admired. You look fabulous luv.
@lisanicole Dear LisaNicole, Thank you so much for your comment and your wonderful compliments. I do love to go out in public. If you want to see more, check out my out-and-about blog. My wife and sometimes give scores on looks when we sit somewhere in public: 10 is TOP and very rare. Love, Franzi
What a wonderful outing. I'm so happy for you (and jealous!)
I love opera too but have never dared to go to a performance en femme. Perhaps some day. However you look fabulous and it was so much fun to read about your exerience at Bayreuth. I have been to many opera performances in the US and Europe but never to Bayreuth.
@lesliekvin Dear Leslie, Thanks for your comment and your compliments. Going to performance is one of my favourite things to do en femme, also because people dress up on these occasions. If you want to see and read some more, check out my out-and-about blog. Love Franzi
What a marvelous experience for you and to be accompanied by your wife is super and your dress looks wonderful.
I have a modest interest in the arts and have attended regional theatre ballets and dance. Although not dressed as formally as you it was an occasion to wear something nice, have a meal but no photos against banners.
I never know what event may come my way but will be sure to be dressed as nicely as the event deserves.
@ab123 Dear Angela, Thank you for writing and for your compliment. Unique photos are the trophies of crossdressers :-). Love, Franzi
Franzi,
You look so elegant in that beautiful dress! Such a great photo of a lovely woman.
Last December I was due to see Tannhäuser at Lincoln Center in NYC but got sick and could not attend. I was of course disappointed in missing the show but was also disappointed because I could not wear the lovely long evening dress I had bought for the occasion.
@kimdl94 Dear Fiona, Thanks for writing. I am so sorry to hear that you could not go. I hope you'll find another occasion to take that lovely long evening dress out! Love, Franzi
I love opera, and ballet, although if you'd told childhood-me that, I would have thought you mad. I have been to the theatre en femme once so far, and it was the musical 'Everyone's Talking About Jamie', so there was a cross dressing element to it and seemed like an appropriate show for Becca's first theatre trip. I enjoyed it so much that, with my wife's blessing (ok so far), I want to go dressed to more shows that do not portray alternative lifestyles. Our next two theatre trips are in October, one is called &Juliet, a what-if story connected to Romeo and Juliet, and La Fille Mal Gardee, a ballet performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet Company. I hope to go en femme to both shows.
I shan't be wearing a ball gown like you have, as these shows are not quite such grand affairs, but the plan is to go en femme in some form or other. It is such fun, isn't it?
Becca
@rebeccabaxter Dear Becca, Thank you so much for your nice, long comment. How nice to hear that you also go out to performance together with your wife. That is wonderful. I also hope for more occasions and possibly one day a weekend trip en femme together with my wife. Love, Franzi
I've only been to the Opera once this past spring to see Turnadot at Lincoln Center with my wife. I was in drab but it was nice. I did see some ladies from our community while there looking lovely. It would have been fun to have attended dressed, alas my wife would never go for that though.
XOXO
Suzanne
@cdsue Dear Suzanne, Thanks for your comment. And would your wife allow you to go by yourself en femme? This is actually the first time we did that together, but I have been out alone to many a shows in the last years. If you want to read about it, check out my out-and-about blog. Love, Franzi
My wife and I and another couple we know, recently went to the theatre to see The Rocky Horror Picture show at The Crown Theatre at Perth Australia.
Not quite up to Wagner but it was a fun day out and Ellie got to wear her favorite red dress, heels stockings etc and then back to our friends house for dinner and drinks.
The show was great and it was amazing to spend the day out at the theatre around so many other lovely people.
Its amazing how much fun can be had with your wife, great friends and a great show.
Great article Franziska - I adored every word of it.xxxxEllie
@ellie52 Dear Ellie, Thanks for your comment and your report on going to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I have seen the movie probably 15 times in my life and two theatre performances, many years ago and non of it en femme. I would, though, when the next occasion arises 😀 . Great t hear that you not only went together with your wife but with friends as well. So far nobody knows about Franziska, except for my wife. Love, Franzi
So glad that you got to go to do something you truly enjoy. Going dressed to the nines makes it really special. You look fabulous!
I recently spent 4 days and nights. Plus traveled to and from a Conference for crossdressers and Trans people. The last night dinner was the gala, where we dressed up big. It was my first time wearing a evening gown. So nice to meet and be there with others like us. 🥰
Dear Fran, Thank you for your lovely comment and your report on the conference. I took a look at you picture in the red gown. You look great and spending 4 days en femme is wonderful. I have taken several weekend trips en femme door-to-door, one of them spanning from Thursday to Sunday. Love, Franzi
Not an opera fan. My dad was and he had the voice to be an opera singer. But he wound up in medicine which was more lucrative. He used to call me the "cultural barbarian" as I had no interest in that - my main interest was and is professional sports.
But I am glad that you found your passion and that you can go out as an elegant lady in evening gown, jewelry and high heels. I have a lot of elegant outfits as I love elegant womans attire but only wear them in my bedroom. When I meet my girl friends, we meet at casual restaurants so can only wear casual femme attire. I envy you that you have found a venue where you can be elegant and you are blending in easily.
Alice Black
@aliceblack Dear Alice, Thanks for your comment. I think I remember that you wrote that earlier. Just give it a try. I do not like everything that I get to see in musical and opera, but the atmosphere is fantastic and the beautifully dressed people. Love, Franzi
