The Bayreuth Festival opens July 23 with a new production of ``Tannhaeuser'' staged by Wieland Wagner, who is doing all the operas this time, and conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. Sawalisch also conducts ``The Flying Dutch,'' opening July 24. ``Parsifal'' follows July 25, with Hans Knappertsbusch conducting, and he also conducts ``Die Meistersinger,'' to be presented Aug. 8 and 12. The ``Ring'' cycles are July 26, 27, 28 and 30, and Aug. 21, 22, 23 and 25. Rudolf Kempe conducts. No casts are listed, but Lotte Lehmann sent word that the Negro soprano, Grace Bumbry, will sing Venus in ``Tannhaeuser.''

Remember how BY a series of booking absurdities Chicago missed seeing the Bolshoi Ballet? Remember how by lack of two big theaters Chicago missed the first visit of the Royal Danish Ballet? Well, now we have two big theaters. But barring a miracle, and don't hold your breath for it, Chicago will not see the Leningrad-Kirov Ballet, which stems from the ballet cradle of the Maryinsky and is one of the great companies of the world.

Before you let loose a howl saying we announced its coming, not once but several times, indeed we did. The engagement was supposed to be all set for the big theater in McCormick Place, which Sol Hurok, ballet booker extraordinary, considers the finest house of its kind in the country -- and of course he doesn't weep at the capacity, either.

It was all set. Allied Arts corporation first listed the Chicago dates as Dec. 4 thru 10. Later the Hurok office made it Dec. 8 thru 17, a nice, long booking for the full repertory. But if you keep a calendar of events, as we do, you noticed a conflict. Allied Arts had booked Marlene Dietrich into McCormick Place Dec. 8 and 9. Something had to give. Not La Dietrich. Allied Arts then notified us that the Kirov would cut short its Los Angeles booking, fly here to open Nov. 28, and close Dec. 2. Shorter booking, but still a booking. We printed it.