Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor, best known for his operas—or ''music dramas'', as his mature works came to be called. Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the libretto and the music for each of his stage works. First gaining recognition with works in the romantic vein of Carl Maria von Weber and Giacomo Meyerbeer, Wagner revolutionized opera through his concept of the ''Gesamtkunstwerk'' (“total work of art”), fusing poetry, music, acting, and stagecraft into an indivisible whole. In this approach, the drama unfolds as a continuously sung narrative, with the music developing organically from the text rather than following conventional self-contained arias and recitatives. He described this vision in a series of essays published between 1849 and 1852. Wagner realised these ideas most fully in the first half of the 16-hour, four-opera cycle ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' (''The Ring of the Nibelung,'' also known simply as ''The Ring'').

Wagner's compositions, particularly in his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas, or plot elements. His advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, greatly influenced the development of classical music; his ''Tristan und Isolde'' is regarded as an important precursor to modern music. Later in life, he softened his ideological stance against traditional operatic forms (e.g., arias, ensembles and choruses), reintroducing them into his last few stage works, including ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' (''The Mastersingers of Nuremberg'') and ''Parsifal''.

To fully realise his artistic vision, Wagner had his own opera house built to his specifications: the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, which featured many innovative design elements intended to immerse the audience in the drama. The premieres of ''The Ring'' and ''Parsifal'' took place there, and his mature stage works are performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival. The early success of the festival was secured by the efforts of his wife, Cosima Wagner, and the festival has since been sustained by their descendants.

Wagner’s unorthodox operas, provocative essays, and contentious personal conduct engendered considerable controversy during his lifetime, and continue to do so. Declared a "genius" by some and a "disease" by others, his views on religion, politics, and society remain debated—most notably the extent to which his antisemitism finds expression in his stage and prose works. The impact of his ideas can be traced across many art forms throughout the 20th century; his influence extended beyond composition into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual arts, and theatre.

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