Richard Wagner is a brilliant person. At the same time, many are confused by the ambiguity of the maestro. On the one hand, he was a famous and illustrious composer who made a significant contribution to the development of world music. On the other hand, his biography was dark and not so rosy.
Wagner's political views were contrary to the rules of humanism. The maestro's compositions were very much liked by the ideologists of Nazi Germany. For many, Richard has become a symbol of the nation. He was an ardent opponent of the Jews.
The musician introduced a long melody and dramatic stories into the opera. The rich heritage of Wagner inspires not only classical music fans, but also modern rock musicians and writers.
Childhood and youth
The famous maestro was born on May 22, 1813 on the territory of colorful Leipzig. Interestingly, at that time, parents were already raising nine children.
After the birth of Richard, grief happened in the family. The fact is that the head of the family died of typhus. Children experienced the loss of their father very emotionally, which cannot be said about their mother. There were rumors that Richard was not born from a legal husband, but from a lover, whose name was Ludwig Geyer.
Three months after his death, the widow married Geyer, and he took custody of the children. Ludwig spent a lot of time raising his stepson. Moreover, it was he who influenced the formation of his musical taste. He supported Richard in choosing a profession.
Until adolescence, Wagner attended St. Thomas School. It was one of the oldest humanitarian institutions in the small town. Unfortunately, they received mediocre knowledge there, which upset Wagner a little.
Then Richard realized that the knowledge gained was not enough to write musical compositions. The teenager took lessons from Theodor Weinlig. In 1831, he entered a higher educational institution in his city.
The creative path of the composer Richard Wagner
The famous maestro had 14 operas. Most of the creations have become classics. In addition, he composed smaller compositions that included librettos for operas. Wagner's works cannot be confused with the works of other maestros of that time. He wrote pathos and epic compositions.
The admiring public warmly perceived the first works of Wagner, thereby charging the composer with the necessary energy. Richard created and improved his musical skills. He was original and inimitable.
The Flying Dutchman is a work that revealed the maturation and development of a maestro. In the composition, the author brilliantly conveyed the story of the ghost ship. The next brilliant work "Tannhäuser" told the audience about a sad love story.
"Tristan and Isolde" is another hallmark of a genius. This is the record holder for the duration of individual numbers. Richard managed to brilliantly tell about the relationship of two lovers through the prism of music.
The musician created the story about the Ring of Power 100 years before J. R. R. Tolkien. The cycle "Ring of the Nibelung" is referred by many to the so-called "golden period" of the maestro's work. In the second opera of the Valkyrie cycle, fans can hear another gem of the composer's repertoire, Ride of the Valkyries.
Personal life of maestro Richard Wagner
Wagner had neither beauty nor stateliness. Despite this, he was in demand among the fairer sex. The maestro had many women. He could afford to go to bed with a stranger, because he had authority in society. In the life of Richard there were serious relationships.
The first wife of the famous composer was called Minna Planer. Many sincerely did not understand why a woman chose such a man. She was beautiful, rich and well-bred. Minna worked as an actress, so she often toured. Despite this, she managed to build a warm family nest.
Everything turned upside down after the revolution in 1849. Then the maestro and his wife were forced to leave their hometown. They moved to Zurich. There he met a new lover, Matilda Wesendonck. The young beauty was married. She, along with her husband, was a fan of Wagner's work. Soon her husband Otto gave Richard a small house next to his villa.
It was his acquaintance with Matilda that inspired him to write the compositions "Siegfried" and "Tristan". The girl was also associated with creativity. She wrote poetry and prose. It cannot be said for sure that there was an intimate relationship between Matilda and Richard. But most biographers still tend to this opinion.
Unusual story
In 1864, he developed warm feelings for Cosima von Bulova. King Ludwig II of Bavaria was a big fan of the famous maestro. The ruler made him an offer to visit Munich, and he agreed. The king financed all the composer's projects.
Richard invited the conductor Hans von Bülow to his orchestra. Hans's wife took the place of the maestro's personal secretary. An attraction developed between Richard and Cosima. Secretly from the official husband, lovers met. Soon Hans von Bülow declassified the secret romance.
Interestingly, the official spouse did not stage a scene of jealousy. He wrote a denunciation to the king, who decided to dot the "e". The position of the maestro, first of all, was aggravated by the fact that the government financed his creative activity, and Catholic morality reigned in Bavaria. The king ordered the couple to be expelled to Swiss territory.
Only 7 years later, Wagner and Cosima received an official divorce from previous marriages. During this period of time, their family has become larger. The woman gave birth to the famous maestro daughters. During this period of time, Minna Wagner died of a heart disease. And Ludwig decided to appeal his decision and invited Richard to the court.
In 1870, the wedding of Cosima and the composer took place. She devoted herself to the maestro and was his muse. Together they built a theater in Bayreuth. At the same time, the couple began working on their debut production of The Ring of the Nibelung.
Interesting facts about the composer
- Wagner proved himself as a writer. He wrote dozens of philosophical compositions.
- Most of his works were based on mythological plots and legends.
- The composer organized a number of anti-Semitic performances and made publications.
- He considered his work as one of the ways to tell the public about his philosophical ideas.
Richard Wagner: The Last Years of His Life
In 1882 the composer moved to the territory of Venice. It was a necessary measure. The maestro's health deteriorated sharply, so the doctors recommended changing his place of residence. A year later, it became known that Richard had died. The cause of death was a heart attack.
