Oue conducted a new version of Tristan, and his musical interpretation did not, according to the news agency, meet with popular approval. In addition, there were reports of difficulties in the orchestra pit, but the festival did not say why, specifically, Oue would not return.

Oue, chief conductor of Hannover's NDR-Radiophilharmonie, was the first Asian conductor to appear at the annual festival.

Conducting Parsifal, in the place of Pierre Boulez, who announced that his 2005 appearances would be his last at Bayreuth, will be Adam Fischer, general music director of Nationaltheater Mannheim. Ficher conducted performances of the Ring cycle from 2001 through 2004.