Richard Wagner

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Richard Wagner summary

Richard Wagner

Q: Why is Richard Wagner famous?

Richard Wagner composed dramatic operas and expressive musical works that had a revolutionary influence on the course of Western music, either by extension of his discoveries or in reaction against them. Wagner’s religious and political views generated much controversy.

Q: What are some of Richard Wagner’s major works?

Richard Wagner’s major works included The Flying Dutchman (1843), Tannhäuser (1845), Lohengrin (1850), Tristan und Isolde (1865), Parsifal (1882), and his great tetralogy, The Ring of the Nibelung (1869–76).

Q: When did Richard Wagner die?

German dramatic composer and theorist Richard Wagner died on February 13, 1883, in Venice, Italy.

German composer

Also known as: Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Written by Deryck V. Cooke

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 7, 2024 • Article History

Richard Wagner

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Category: Arts & Culture

In full:: Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Born:: May 22, 1813, Leipzig [Germany]

Died:: February 13, 1883, Venice, Italy (aged 69)

Notable Works:: “A Communication to My Friends”; “Art and Revolution”; “Das Rheingold”; “Der Ring des Nibelungen”; “Die Walküre”; “Götterdämmerung”; “Lohengrin”; “My Life”; “Opera and Drama”; “Parsifal”; “Rienzi”; “Siegfried Idyll”; “Tannhäuser”; “The Art Work of the Future”; “The Ban on Love”; “The Fairies”; “The Flying Dutchman”; “The Mastersingers of Nürnberg”; “Tristan und Isolde”

Notable Family Members:: spouse Cosima Wagner

Subjects Of Study:: music drama; Germanic religion and mythology

On the Web:: The Guardian - Wagner: where to start with his music (Mar. 28, 2024)

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Recent News

Apr. 6, 2024, 5:42 AM ET (The Telegraph)

Michael Tanner, Cambridge philosopher, ardent Wagnerian and Spectator opera critic – obituary

Why is Richard Wagner famous?

What are some of Richard Wagner’s major works?

When did Richard Wagner die?

Richard Wagner (born May 22, 1813, Leipzig [Germany]—died February 13, 1883, Venice, Italy) German dramatic composer and theorist whose operas and music had a revolutionary influence on the course of Western music, either by extension of his discoveries or reaction against them. Among his major works are The Flying Dutchman (1843), Tannhäuser (1845), Lohengrin (1850), Tristan und Isolde (1865), Parsifal (1882), and his great tetralogy, The Ring of the Nibelung (1869–76). The artistic and theatrical background of Wagner’s early years (several elder sisters became opera singers or actresses) was a main formative influence. Impulsive and self-willed, he was a negligent ...(100 of 3114 words)

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