Overview

• Silbereisen’s black tuxedo was accidentally ruined by toothpaste moments before he left for his Bayreuth debut
• He switched into a dark blue replacement suit he had brought as backup and still arrived at the Festspielhaus on time
• At the premiere of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, he took a selfie with former Chancellor Angela Merkel and shared it on Instagram
• His Instagram documentation, including the self-deprecating comment “Das geht ja gut los,” has drawn both praise for his humor and criticism over the Merkel photo
• Invited by Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, Silbereisen’s appearance marks a rare crossover of Schlager entertainment into the traditionally classical Bayreuth Festival