Biography II. Childhood and adolescence (1813-1829)
Biography II. CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE (1813-1829) Wilhelm-Richard Wagner was born “at the first streaks of dawn” (Mein Leben) on May 22, 1813 in Leipzig (Kingdom of Saxony), on the second floor of the house known as the Red and White Lion, at number 3 on the Brühl, a great shopping street of the city. Richard is...
Biography IV. Dresden and the great romantic operas (1842-1849)
Biography IV. DRESDEN AND THE GREAT ROMANTIC OPERAS (1842-1849) Richard Wagner already experienced many disappointments: the artist struck many doors, sought recognition as a composer, musical director, theorist ... But the few little successes he met were followed by massive failures. And this series of hopes and disappointments would continue for some time. During the...
Biography V. The years of exile and wandering (1850-1863)
Biography V. YEARS OF EXILE AND WANDERING (1850-1863) In January 1850, the composer embarks on the scenario of Wieland der Schmied, a work that he reserves for the Paris Opera. And since the composer isn’t sure he can make a name for himself by creating the music, he offers the composition gig to Hector Berlioz...
Biography VI. Munich and Tribschen (1864-1870)
Biography VI. MUNICH AND TRIBSCHEN (1864-1870) Wagner fought, again and again, against financial hardship. In 1864, burdened by debt, totally desperate, the composer thought for the first time about committing suicide. Fleeing Vienna and seeking, as always, refuge with his friends, he was taken in by Eliza Wille. Mathilde Wesendonck, on the other hand, sent him...
Biography VII. The Bayreuth years (1871-1876)
Biography VII. THE BAYREUTH YEARS (1864-1870) While a a non-disguized anti-Wagnerian sentiment grew in France - this occured just a few months after French nation had just lost the war of 1870 against Prussia - Wagner, from hi side, was finally about to make his lifelong dream true... and concrète ! In full creative verve, Richard Wagner refined...
Biography VIII. Maturity, Parsifal, Venice (1877-1883)
Biography VIII. MATURITY, PARSIFAL, VENICE (1877-1883) The entirety of The Ring of the Nibelung cycle could be produced at the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, and a decision that filled with happiness the first Wagnerians who could not go to the Green Hill - because the enthusiasm for Richard Wagner's music was then part of an artistic...
BIBLIOGRAPHY : A biography (Section I)
BIBLIOGRAPHY List of reference materials consulted for the realization of Section I: Biography - ADORNO Theodor (tr. Rodney Livingstone) , In Search of Wagner, ‘London: Verso Books 2009) - BARTHOU Louis, La Vie ardente de Wagner (Éditions Flammarion, 1925 - Fr) - BEAUFILS Marcel, Wagner et le wagnérisme (Éditions Aubier, Musique, 1980 - Fr) -...