(federal audit office) were investigating the situation where, for a publicly subsidised event, only 40 percent of the tickets were actually available to the general public. Early in 2012 it was announced that changes would be made to the allocation system, including the ending of allocations to Wagner Societies (but not including the Society of Friends of Bayreuth as they make a substantial financial contribution) and a reduction in the proportion reserved for travel agents and hotels. As a result, the proportion of tickets available to the general public would increase to about 65 percent of the total available. Der Ring des Nibelungen A new production of Der Ring des Nibelungen is presented every five to seven years, following a year in which no Ring is presented. In years in which the Ring is staged, three other operas are also presented. When no Ring is staged, five other operas are presented. Tickets for the Ring are normally sold only as a complete set for all four performances. The newest production of the Ring (directed by Frank Castorf) premiered in 2013. Castorf's radical staging of the cycle—a colourful modern setting with the global race for oil as the underlying theme—was received with lengthy booing at its premiere. Directors Richard Wagner (1876–1883) Cosima Liszt Wagner (1883–1908) Siegfried Wagner (1908–1930) Winifred Williams Wagner (1930–1945) Wieland Wagner and Wolfgang Wagner (1951–1966) Wolfgang Wagner (1967–2008) Eva Wagner-Pasquier and Katharina Wagner (2008–2015) Katharina Wagner (2015–today) Recordings DVD Tannhäuser (1978) Director: Götz Friedrich, Conductor: Sir Colin Davis, Soloists: Spas Wenkoff, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Bernd Weikl, Hans Sotin, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel. Der Ring des Nibelungen (1980) Complete Cycle Director: Patrice Chéreau, Conductor: Pierre Boulez, Soloists: Dame Gwyneth Jones, Donald McIntyre, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Matti Salminen, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel Parsifal (1981) Director: Wolfgang Wagner, Conductor: Horst Stein, Soloists: Siegfried Jerusalem, Eva Randová, Bernd Weikl, Hans Sotin, Matti Salminen, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel Tristan und Isolde (1983) Director, stage design & costumes: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Conductor: Daniel Barenboim, Soloists: René Kollo, Johanna Meier, Matti Salminen, Hanna Schwarz, Hermann Becht, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1984) Centenary Production: Director: Wolfgang Wagner, Conductor: Horst Stein, Soloists: Bernd Weikl, Siegfried Jerusalem, Mari Anne Häggander, Hermann Prey, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel Der fliegende Holländer (1985) Director: Harry Kupfer, Conductor: Woldemar Nelsson, Soloists: Simon Estes, Lisbeth Balslev, Matti Salminen, Label: Deutsche Grammophon/Unitel Lohengrin (1990) Director: Werner Herzog, Conductor: Peter Schneider, Soloists: Paul Frey, Cheryl Studer,