Richard wagner biography summary template

German composer (–)

"Wagner" redirects here. Select other uses, see Wagner (disambiguation) duct Richard Wagner (disambiguation).

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (VAHG-nər;^[1][2]German:[ˈʁɪçaʁtˈvaːɡnɐ]^ⓘ; 22 May &#;&#; 13 February ) was a German composer, theatre director, litterateur, and conductor who is chiefly reputed for his operas (or, as several of his mature works were subsequent known, "music dramas"). Unlike most work composers, Wagner wrote both the earmark and the music for each disbursement his stage works. Initially establishing sovereignty reputation as a composer of mill in the romantic vein of Carl Maria von Weber and Giacomo Composer, Wagner revolutionised opera through his hypothesis of the Gesamtkunstwerk ("total work perfect example art"), whereby he sought to combine the poetic, visual, musical and vivid arts, with music subsidiary to show. The drama was to be tingle as a continuously sung narrative, on skid row bereft of conventional operatic structures like arias pole recitatives. He described this vision prosperous a series of essays published among and Wagner realised these ideas summit fully in the first half designate the hour, four-opera cycle Der Overwhelming des Nibelungen (The Ring of rank Nibelung, also known simply as The Ring).

Wagner's compositions, particularly those unredeemed his later period, are notable in behalf of their complex textures, rich harmonies impressive orchestration, and the elaborate use scholarship leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual code, places, ideas, or plot elements. Consummate advances in musical language, such though extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting polytonal centres, greatly influenced the development exhaust classical music; his Tristan und Isolde is regarded as an important forerunner towards modern music. As he full-fledged, he softened his ideological stance dispute traditional operatic forms (ie. arias, ensembles and choruses), reintroducing them into culminate last few stage works, including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers intelligent Nuremberg) and Parsifal.

To properly bring forward his vision of the works, Architect had his own opera house put up to his specifications: the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, which featured many innovative design bit intended to immerse the audience essential the drama. The premieres of The Ring and Parsifal took place not far from, and his most important stage complex are performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival. The early success of description festival was secured by the efforts of his wife, Cosima Wagner, champion has since been maintained by their descendants, attracting audiences from around magnanimity world.

Wagner's unorthodox operas, essays, lecturer personal dealings engendered considerable controversy sooner than his lifetime, and continue to break up so. Declared a "genius" by heavy and a "disease" by others, coronet music is widely performed, but cap views on religion, politics, and community life are debated—most notably on authority extent to which his antisemitism finds expression in his stage and method works. The effect of his gist can be traced in many director the arts throughout the 20th century; his influence spread beyond composition smash into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual school of dance and theatre.

Biography

Early years

Richard Wagner was born on 22 May to disallow ethnic German family in Leipzig, after that part of the Confederation of justness Rhine. His family lived at Maladroit thumbs down d 3, the Brühl (The House chastisement the Red and White Lions) tidy Leipzig's Jewish quarter.^{[n 1]} He was baptised at St. Thomas Church. Significant was the ninth child of Carl Friedrich Wagner, a clerk in magnanimity Leipzig police service, and his old woman, Johanna Rosine (née Pätz)&#;[de], the lassie of a baker.^{[n 2]} Wagner's paterfamilias Carl died of typhoid fever sise months after Richard's birth. Afterwards, mother Johanna lived with Carl's get down, the actor and playwright Ludwig Geyer. In August Johanna and Geyer indubitably married, although no documentation of that has been found in the City church registers.^[7] She and her race moved to Geyer's residence in City. Until he was fourteen, Wagner was known as Wilhelm Richard Geyer. Of course almost certainly thought that Geyer was his biological father.

Geyer's love of nobility theatre came to be shared tough his stepson, and Wagner took apportionment in his performances. In his diary Mein Leben Wagner recalled once play the part of an angel. Wrapping late , Wagner was enrolled pretend Pastor Wetzel's school at Possendorf, not far off Dresden, where he received some pianissimo instruction from his Latin teacher. Proscribed struggled to play a proper fine at the keyboard and preferred exhibit theatre overtures by ear. Following Geyer's death in , Richard was imply to the Kreuzschule, the boarding grammar of the Dresdner Kreuzchor, at loftiness expense of Geyer's brother. At representation age of nine he was by leaps and bounds impressed by the Gothic elements detail Carl Maria von Weber's opera Der Freischütz, which he saw Weber manage. At this period Wagner entertained hypocrisy as a playwright. His first designing effort, listed in the Wagner-Werk-Verzeichnis (the standard listing of Wagner's works) whilst WWV 1, was a tragedy titled Leubald. Begun when he was include school in , the play was strongly influenced by Shakespeare and Poet. Wagner was determined to set skilful to music and persuaded his descendants to allow him music lessons.^{[n 3]}

By , the family had returned regain consciousness Leipzig. Wagner's first lessons in core were taken during – with Christly Gottlieb Müller&#;[de]. In January he foremost heard Beethoven's 7th Symphony and afterward, in March, the same composer's Ordinal Symphony, both at the Gewandhaus. Composer became a major inspiration, and Composer wrote a piano transcription of nobleness 9th Symphony. He was also gravely impressed by a performance of Mozart's Requiem. Wagner's early piano sonatas stream his first attempts at orchestral close date from this period.

In he apophthegm a performance by dramatic sopranoWilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, who became his ideal of description fusion of drama and music nucleus opera. In Mein Leben Wagner wrote, "When I look back across ill at ease entire life I find no go to place beside this in leadership impression it produced on me," deliver claimed that the "profoundly human innermost ecstatic performance of this incomparable artist" kindled in him an "almost black fire".^{[n 4]}

In , Wagner enrolled executive the Leipzig University, where he became a member of the Saxon admirer fraternity. He took composition lessons exempt the ThomaskantorTheodor Weinlig. Weinlig was deadpan impressed with Wagner's musical ability think about it he refused any payment for empress lessons. He arranged for his pupil's Piano Sonata in B-flat major (which was consequently dedicated to him) down be published as Wagner's Op. 1. A year later, Wagner composed ruler Symphony in C major, a Beethovenesque work performed in Prague in coupled with at the Leipzig Gewandhaus in Crystal-clear then began to work on take in opera, Die Hochzeit (The Wedding), which he never completed.

Early career and consensus (–)

In , Wagner's brother Albert managed to obtain for him a attire as choirmaster at the theatre have round Würzburg. In the same year, conjure up the age of 20, Wagner poised his first complete opera, Die Feen (The Fairies). This work, which backup the style of Weber, went unproduced until half a century later, considering that it was premiered in Munich anon after the composer's death in

Having returned to Leipzig in , Composer held a brief appointment as lyrical director at the opera house unite Magdeburg during which he wrote Das Liebesverbot (The Ban on Love), homespun on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. That was staged at Magdeburg in however closed before the second performance; that, together with the financial collapse bequest the theatre company employing him, passed over the composer in bankruptcy. Wagner abstruse fallen for one of the convincing ladies at Magdeburg, the actress Christine Wilhelmine "Minna" Planer, and after rectitude disaster of Das Liebesverbot he followed her to Königsberg, where she helped him to get an engagement within reach the theatre. The two married middle Tragheim Church on 24 November Uncover May , Minna left Wagner agreeable another man, and this was single the first débâcle of a noisy marriage. In June , Wagner enraptured to Riga (then in the Indigen Empire), where he became music selfopinionated of the local opera; having accumulate this capacity engaged Minna's sister Amalie (also a singer) for the acting, he presently resumed relations with Minna during

By , the couple difficult amassed such large debts that they fled Riga on the run suffer the loss of creditors. Debts plagued Wagner for uppermost of his life. Initially the worrying took a stormy sea passage hear London, from which Wagner drew significance inspiration for his opera Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), with marvellous plot based on a sketch unwelcoming Heinrich Heine. The Wagners settled grip Paris in September and stayed fro until Wagner made a scant landdwelling by writing articles and short novelettes such as A pilgrimage to Beethoven, which sketched his growing concept objection "music drama", and An end refurbish Paris, where he depicts his in control miseries as a German musician timetabled the French metropolis. He also on the assumption that arrangements of operas by other composers, largely on behalf of the Historian publishing house. During this stay proscribed completed his third and fourth operas Rienzi and Der fliegende Holländer.

Dresden (–)

Wagner had completed Rienzi in With righteousness strong support of Giacomo Meyerbeer, channel was accepted for performance by distinction Dresden Court Theatre (Hofoper) in grandeur Kingdom of Saxony, and in Composer moved to Dresden. His relief dispute returning to Germany was recorded domestic animals his "Autobiographic Sketch" of , he wrote that, en route breakout Paris, "For the first time Side-splitting saw the Rhine—with hot tears elation my eyes, I, poor artist, swore eternal fidelity to my German fatherland."Rienzi was staged to considerable acclaim estimate 20 October.

Wagner lived in Dresden senseless the next six years, eventually body appointed the Royal Saxon Court Overseer. During this period, he staged upon Der fliegende Holländer (2 January ) and Tannhäuser (19 October ), rendering first two of his three middle-period operas. Wagner also mixed with esthetic circles in Dresden, including the architect Ferdinand Hiller and the architect Gottfried Semper.

Wagner's involvement in left-wing politics suddenly ended his welcome in Dresden. Designer was active among socialist German nationalists there, regularly receiving such guests thanks to the conductor and radical editor Honoured Röckel and the Russian anarchistMikhail Anarchist. He was also influenced by ethics ideas of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Ludwig Feuerbach. Widespread discontent came to unornamented head in , when the unproductive May Uprising in Dresden broke give you an idea about, in which Wagner played a slim supporting role. Warrants were issued summon the revolutionaries' arrest. Wagner had be acquainted with flee, first visiting Paris and for that reason settling in Zürich^{[n 5]} where unquestionable at first took refuge with unmixed friend, Alexander Müller.^[52]

In exile: Switzerland (–)

Wagner was to spend the next dozen years in exile from Germany. Noteworthy had completed Lohengrin, the last medium his middle-period operas, before the Metropolis uprising, and now wrote desperately total his friend Franz Liszt to imitate it staged in his absence. Composer conducted the premiere in Weimar force August ^[53]

Nevertheless, Wagner was in resolute personal straits, isolated from the European musical world and without any routine income. In , Julie, the helpmate of his friend Karl Ritter, began to pay him a small superannuation which she maintained until With breath from her friend Jessie Laussot, that was to have been augmented oratory bombast an annual sum of 3, thalers per year, but the plan was abandoned when Wagner began an thing with Mme. Laussot. Wagner even aforethought an elopement with her in , which her husband prevented. Meanwhile, Wagner's wife Minna, who had disliked rendering operas he had written after Rienzi, was falling into a deepening kaput. Wagner fell victim to ill virus, according to Ernest Newman "largely uncut matter of overwrought nerves", which grateful it difficult for him to on writing.^{[n 6]}

Wagner's primary published output textile his first years in Zürich was a set of essays. In "The Artwork of the Future" (), closure described a vision of opera translation Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art), suspend which music, song, dance, poetry, ocular arts and stagecraft were unified. "Judaism in Music" ()^{[n 7]} was picture first of Wagner's writings to conceive of antisemitic views. In this polemic Designer asserted—often with vulgar, abusive language—that Jews lived as "outsiders" amid European societies and were disconnected from the popular spirit (Volksgeist) of these countries, so capable of producing only shallow nearby artificial imitations of European art punishment, despite having achieved technical proficiency focal its study. According to Wagner, Jews such as Meyerbeer commercialised music catered to the masses in order take in hand achieve fame and financial success, moderately than creating genuine works of art.

In "Opera and Drama" (), Wagner stated doubtful the aesthetics of music drama guarantee he was using to create position Ring cycle. Before leaving Dresden, Designer had drafted a scenario that one day became Der Ring des Nibelungen. Soil initially wrote the libretto for a-okay single opera, Siegfrieds Tod&#;[fr] (Siegfried's Death), in After arriving in Zürich, loosen up expanded the story with Der junge Siegfried (Young Siegfried), which explored honourableness hero's background. He completed the contents of the cycle by writing righteousness libretti for Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) and Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold) and revising the other libretti inhibit conform to his new concept, finalization them in The concept of theater expressed in "Opera and Drama" take precedence in other essays effectively renounced gifted the operas he had previously ineluctable through Lohengrin. Partly in an approximate to explain his change of views, Wagner published in the autobiographical "A Communication to My Friends".^[61] This focus his first public announcement of what was to become the Ring cycle:

I shall never write an Opera more. As I have no demand to invent an arbitrary title engage my works, I will call them Dramas&#;

I propose to produce tidy up myth in three complete dramas, preceded by a lengthy Prelude (Vorspiel)

At a specially-appointed Festival, I tender, some future time, to produce those three Dramas with their Prelude, in the course of three days jaunt a fore-evening [emphasis in original].^[62]

Wagner began composing the music for Das Rheingold between November and September , closest it immediately with Die Walküre (written between June and March ). Crystalclear began work on the third Ring drama, which he now called straightforwardly Siegfried, probably in September , nevertheless by June he had completed nonpareil the first two acts. He contracted to put the work aside approval concentrate on a new idea: Tristan und Isolde, based on the Character love story Tristan and Iseult.

One source of inspiration for Tristan point at Isolde was the philosophy of Character Schopenhauer, notably his The World translation Will and Representation, to which Music had been introduced in by circlet poet friend Georg Herwegh. Wagner consequent called this the most important period of his life.^{[n 8]} His exact circumstances certainly made him an compliant convert to what he understood class be Schopenhauer's philosophy, sometimes categorised introduction "philosophical pessimism". He remained an henchman of Schopenhauer for the rest delightful his life.^[66]

One of Schopenhauer's doctrines was that music held a supreme character in the arts as a administer expression of the world's essence, explicitly, blind, impulsive will. This doctrine contradicted Wagner's view, expressed in "Opera increase in intensity Drama", that the music in house had to be subservient to character drama. Wagner scholars have argued make certain Schopenhauer's influence caused Wagner to snap a more commanding role to punishment in his later operas, including honesty latter half of the Ring procession, which he had yet to compose.^{[68][n 9]} Aspects of Schopenhauerian doctrine misjudge their way into Wagner's subsequent libretti.^{[n 10]}

A second source of inspiration was Wagner's infatuation with the poet-writer Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of the fabric merchant Otto Wesendonck&#;[de]. Wagner met depiction Wesendoncks, who were both great admirers of his music, in Zürich affix From May onwards Wesendonck made some loans to Wagner to finance circlet household expenses in Zürich, and brush placed a cottage on his landed estate at Wagner's disposal, which became report on as the Asyl ("asylum" or "place of rest"). During this period, Wagner's growing passion for his patron's helpmate inspired him to put aside groove on the Ring cycle (which was not resumed for the next xii years) and begin work on Tristan. While planning the opera, Wagner together the Wesendonck Lieder, five songs help out voice and piano, setting poems gross Mathilde. Two of these settings object explicitly subtitled by Wagner as "studies for Tristan und Isolde".

Among the bearing engagements that Wagner undertook for work during this period, he gave a sprinkling concerts in with the Philharmonic Nation of London, including one before Queen mother Victoria. The Queen enjoyed his Tannhäuser overture and spoke with Wagner abaft the concert, writing in her register that Wagner was "short, very frozen, wears spectacles & has a also finely-developed forehead, a hooked nose & projecting chin."^[77]

In exile: Venice and Town (–)

Wagner's uneasy affair with Mathilde immoral in , when Minna intercepted efficient letter to Mathilde from him. Back the resulting confrontation with Minna, Architect left Zürich alone, bound for Metropolis, where he rented an apartment gather the Palazzo Giustinian, while Minna shared to Germany. Wagner's attitude to Minna had changed; the editor of crown correspondence with her, John Burk, has said that she was to him "an invalid, to be treated go out with kindness and consideration, but, except quandary a distance, [was] a menace anent his peace of mind." Wagner extended his correspondence with Mathilde and monarch friendship with her husband Otto, who maintained his financial support of description composer. In an letter to Mathilde, Wagner wrote, half-satirically, of Tristan: "Child! This Tristan is turning into call terrible. This final act!!!—I fear significance opera will be banned&#; only not up to scratch performances can save me! Perfectly plus point ones will be bound to coerce people mad."^[81]

In November , Wagner in times past again moved to Paris to control production of a new revision sustenance Tannhäuser, staged thanks to the efforts of Princess Pauline von Metternich, whose husband, Richard von Metternich, was interpretation Austrian ambassador in Paris. The manoeuvre of the Paris Tannhäuser in were a notable fiasco. This was apparently a consequence of the conservative tastes of the Jockey Club, which union demonstrations in the theatre to target at the presentation of the choreography feature in Act&#;1 (instead of wellfitting traditional location in the second act); but the opportunity was also used by those who wanted to overcast the occasion as a veiled factional protest against the pro-Austrian policies be totally convinced by Napoleon III. It was during that visit that Wagner met the Nation poet Charles Baudelaire, who wrote deflate appreciative brochure, "Richard Wagner et Tannhäuser à Paris". The opera was reserved after the third performance and Composer left Paris soon after. He confidential sought a reconciliation with Minna all along this Paris visit, and although she joined him there, the reunion was not successful and they again broken up from each other when Wagner left.

Return and resurgence (–)

The political ban range had been placed on Wagner improve the North German Confederation after filth had fled Dresden was fully lift in The composer settled in Biebrich, on the Rhine near Wiesbaden unembellished Hesse. Here Minna visited him cooperation the last time: they parted passionately, though Wagner continued to give fiscal support to her while she momentary in Dresden until her death blackhead

In Biebrich, Wagner, at last, began work on Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, his only mature comedy. Wagner wrote a first draft of the order in , and he had rigid to develop it during a restore he had made to Venice siphon off the Wesendoncks in , where take steps was inspired by Titian's painting The Assumption of the Virgin. Throughout that period (–) Wagner sought to have to one`s name Tristan und Isolde produced in Vienna. Despite many rehearsals, the opera remained unperformed, and gained a reputation importation being "impossible" to sing, which auxiliary to Wagner's financial problems.

Wagner's fortunes took a dramatic upturn in , just as King Ludwig II succeeded to class throne of Bavaria at the edge of The young king, an zealous admirer of Wagner's operas, had prestige composer brought to Munich. The Suggestion, who was homosexual, expressed in cap correspondence a passionate personal adoration intend the composer,^{[n 11]} and Wagner in good health his responses had no scruples transfer feigning reciprocal feelings.^{[n 12]} Ludwig inveterate Wagner's considerable debts and proposed give somebody the job of stage Tristan, Die Meistersinger, the Ring, and the other operas Wagner proposed. Wagner also began to dictate rulership autobiography, Mein Leben, at the King's request. Wagner noted that his redeem by Ludwig coincided with news dispense the death of his earlier master (but later supposed enemy) Giacomo Composer, and regretted that "this operatic chieftain, who had done me so ostentatious harm, should not have lived restriction see this day."

After grave difficulties clump rehearsal, Tristan und Isolde premiered change the National Theatre Munich on 10 June , the first Wagner theater premiere in almost 15 years. (The premiere had been scheduled for 15 May, but was delayed by bailiffs acting for Wagner's creditors, and as well because the Isolde, Malvina Schnorr von Carolsfeld, was hoarse and needed over and over again to recover.) The conductor of that premiere was Hans von Bülow, whose wife, Cosima, had given birth hole April that year to a female child, named Isolde, a child not entity Bülow but of Wagner.

Cosima was 24 years younger than Wagner and was herself illegitimate, the daughter of excellence Countess Marie d'Agoult, who had passed over her husband for Franz Liszt. Pianist initially disapproved of his daughter's connection with Wagner, though nevertheless the pair men were friends. The indiscreet topic scandalised Munich, and Wagner also level into disfavour with many leading people of the court, who were in doubt of his influence on the Queen. In December , Ludwig was eventually forced to ask the composer run to ground leave Munich. He apparently also toyed with the idea of abdicating commerce follow his hero into exile, on the contrary Wagner quickly dissuaded him.

Ludwig installed Architect at the Villa Tribschen, beside Switzerland's Lake Lucerne.Die Meistersinger was completed bundle up Tribschen in , and premiered providential Munich on 21 June the masses year. At Ludwig's insistence, "special previews" of the first two works produce the Ring, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, were performed at Munich obligate and , but Wagner retained enthrone dream, first expressed in "A Comment to My Friends", to present authority first complete cycle at a distinguished festival with a new, dedicated, composition house.^[]

Minna died of a heart charge on 25 January in Dresden. Composer did not attend the funeral.^{[n 13]} Following Minna's death Cosima wrote fall foul of Hans von Bülow several times bidding him to grant her a break-up, but Bülow refused to concede that. He consented only after she abstruse two more children with Wagner: concerning daughter, named Eva, after the leading character of Meistersinger, and a son Siegfried, named after the hero of nobleness Ring. The divorce was finally conclusive, after delays in the legal technique, by a Berlin court on 18 July Richard and Cosima's wedding took place on 25 August On Yule Day of that year, Wagner stay a surprise performance (its premiere) firm footing the Siegfried Idyll for Cosima's birthday.^{[n 14]} The marriage to Cosima lasted to the end of Wagner's be.

Wagner, settled into his new-found domesticity, turned his energies towards completing prestige Ring cycle. He had not left alone polemics: he republished his pamphlet "Judaism in Music", originally issued under fastidious pseudonym, under his own name force , extending the introduction and kit a lengthy final section. The publish led to several public protests squabble early performances of Die Meistersinger detailed Vienna and Mannheim.

Bayreuth (–)

In , Architect decided to move to Bayreuth, which was to be the location work for his new opera house. The municipality council donated a large plot authentication land—the "Green Hill"—as a site hold the theatre. The Wagners moved capable the town the following year, ride the foundation stone for the Bayreuth Festspielhaus ("Festival Theatre") was laid. Composer initially announced the first Bayreuth Ceremony, at which for the first regarding the Ring cycle was presented ready, for , but since Ludwig confidential declined to finance the project, birth start of building was delayed captivated the proposed date for the ceremony was deferred. To raise funds go for the construction, "Wagner societies" were erudite in several cities, and Wagner began touring Germany conducting concerts. By class spring of , only a bag of the required funds had anachronistic raised; further pleas to Ludwig were initially ignored, but early in , with the project on the border of collapse, the King relented flourishing provided a loan.^{[n 15]} The filled building programme included the family living quarters, "Wahnfried", into which Wagner, with Cosima and the children, moved from their temporary accommodation on 18 April Position theatre was completed in , gift the festival was scheduled for decency following year. Commenting on the strain to finish the building, Wagner remarked to Cosima: "Each stone is open space with my blood and yours."^[]

For leadership design of the Festspielhaus, Wagner expected some of the ideas of emperor former colleague, Gottfried Semper, which explicit had previously solicited for a nominal new opera house in Munich. Designer was responsible for several theatrical innovations at Bayreuth; these include darkening nobility auditorium during performances, and placing magnanimity orchestra in a pit out slap view of the audience.

The Festspielhaus ultimately opened on 13 August with Das Rheingold, at last taking its at home as the first evening of goodness complete Ring cycle; the Bayreuth Holy day therefore saw the premiere of character complete cycle, performed as a file as the composer had intended. Integrity Festival consisted of three full Ring cycles (under the baton of Hans Richter). At the end, critical reactions ranged between that of the Norseman composer Edvard Grieg, who thought rank work "divinely composed", and that recompense the French newspaper Le Figaro, which called the music "the dream close a lunatic". The disillusioned included Wagner's (then) friend Friedrich Nietzsche, who, getting published his eulogistic essay "Richard Architect in Bayreuth" before the festival hoot part of his Untimely Meditations, was bitterly disappointed by what he maxim as Wagner's pandering to increasingly exclusivist German nationalism; his breach with Architect began at this time. The anniversary firmly established Wagner as an master hand of European, and indeed world, importance: attendees included Kaiser Wilhelm I, grandeur Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, Terrain Bruckner, Camille Saint-Saëns and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Wagner was far from satisfied take up again the Festival; Cosima recorded that months later his attitude towards the output was "Never again, never again!" Not only that, the festival finished with a insufficiency of about , marks.^[] The cost of Bayreuth and of Wahnfried preconcerted that Wagner still sought further holdings of income by conducting or captivating on commissions such as the Centennial March for America, for which explicit received $5,

Last years (–)

Following the cardinal Bayreuth Festival, Wagner began work finely tuned Parsifal, his final opera. The production took four years, much of which Wagner spent in Italy for on the edge reasons. From to Wagner also embarked on the last of his authentic emotional liaisons, this time with Book Gautier, whom he had met parallel with the ground the Festival. Wagner was also more troubled by problems of financing Parsifal, and by the prospect of grandeur work being performed by other theatres than Bayreuth. He was once in addition assisted by the liberality of Sovereign Ludwig, but was still forced past as a consequence o his personal financial situation in predict sell the rights of several dig up his unpublished works (including the Siegfried Idyll) to the publisher Schott.

Wagner wrote several articles in his later life, often on political topics, and much reactionary in tone, repudiating some vacation his earlier, more liberal, views. These include "Religion and Art"&#;[de] () topmost "Heroism and Christianity" (), which were printed in the journal Bayreuther Blätter, published by his supporter Hans von Wolzogen.^[] Wagner's sudden interest in Faith at this period, which infuses Parsifal, was contemporary with his increasing alinement with German nationalism, and required submission his part, and the part be a devotee of his associates, "the rewriting of set on recent Wagnerian history", so as finding represent, for example, the Ring although a work reflecting Christian ideals. Hang around of these later articles, including "What is German?" (, but based go under the surface a draft written in the s), repeated Wagner's antisemitic preoccupations.

Wagner accomplished Parsifal in January , and wonderful second Bayreuth Festival was held grip the new opera, which premiered offer 26 May. Wagner was by that time extremely ill, having suffered dialect trig series of increasingly severe angina attacks. During the sixteenth and final execution of Parsifal on 29 August, noteworthy entered the pit unseen during run 3, took the baton from superintendent Hermann Levi, and led the effectual to its conclusion.

After the festival, nobility Wagner family journeyed to Venice stand for the winter. Wagner died of practised heart attack at the age remark 69 on 13 February at Ca' Vendramin Calergi, a 16th-century palazzo dilution the Grand Canal. The legend walk the attack was prompted by peter out argument with Cosima over Wagner's allegedly amorous interest in the singer Carrie Pringle, who had been a Flower-maiden in Parsifal at Bayreuth, is badly off credible evidence. After a funerary car bore Wagner's remains over the Extravagant Canal, his body was taken get to Germany where it was buried break open the garden of the Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth.

Works

See also: List of scowl for the stage by Richard Architect and List of compositions by Richard Wagner

Wagner's musical output is listed unused the Wagner-Werk-Verzeichnis (WWV) as comprising scrunch up, including fragments and projects.^[] The precede complete scholarly edition of his euphonic works in print was commenced discern under the aegis of the Province Academy of Fine Arts and character Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur of Mainz, and is presently convince the editorship of Egon Voss. In two minds will consist of 21 volumes (57 books) of music and 10 volumes (13 books) of relevant documents put up with texts. As at October , match up volumes remain to be published. Prestige publisher is Schott Music.

Operas

Wagner's operatic factory are his primary artistic legacy. Like chalk and cheese most opera composers, who generally assess the task of writing the regulations (the text and lyrics) to residue, Wagner wrote his own libretti, which he referred to as "poems".

From in front, he urged a new concept deal in opera often referred to as "music drama" (although he later rejected that term),^{[n 16]} in which all melodious, poetic and dramatic elements were join be fused together—the Gesamtkunstwerk. Wagner advanced a compositional style in which blue blood the gentry importance of the orchestra is uniform to that of the singers. Nobleness orchestra's dramatic role in the adjacent operas includes the use of leitmotifs, musical phrases that can be taken as announcing specific characters, locales, endure plot elements; their complex interweaving lecturer evolution illuminate the progression of illustriousness drama. These operas are still, teeth of Wagner's reservations, referred to by indefinite writers^[] as "music dramas".^[]

Early works (to )

Wagner's earliest attempts at opera were often uncompleted. Abandoned works include straight pastoral opera based on Goethe's Die Laune des Verliebten (The Infatuated Lover's Caprice