Bayreuth, Germany  - Wolfgang Wagner, the director of the Bayreuth Festival, is to retire in August, Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa learned Tuesday from sources close to the festival.

Wagner, who turns 89 on August 30, has headed the renowned festival celebrating the music of his great-grandfather, Richard Wagner, since 1951.

He agreed earlier this month to hand over control of the festival to two daughters from separate marriages, Eva Wagner-Pasquier, 63, and Katharina, 29.

Bayreuth has become a shrine to the fantasy world of gods and heroes created by the 19th century composer, and the festival management has been compared to royalty, held for life and limited to direct descendants of the composer.

Wolfgang Wagner had come under considerable pressure over recent months to yield to a new generation. (dpa)