Biography of Richard Wagner


Wilhelm Richard Wagner – German composer, conductor, philosopher.

He was born on May 22, 1813 in the city of Leipzig. After the death of his father, stepfather Ludwig Geyer sent Richard to study music.

The composition of musical works began at the age of 16 years, a year before, they wrote the first play. In 1831, Richard Wagner began his studies at the University of Leipzig, since 1833 he worked as a choirmaster in the theater.

Richard Wagner’s operas “The Fairies”, “The Prohibition of Love” were written at that time, troublesome for the musician. Having made his debut in the conductor’s field with a theatrical company, Richard Wagner later in Riga often conducted Beethoven’s works. Before that, having married Minna Planer, the composer served as music director of the theater in the city of Koenigsberg.

In 1839, he moved quickly to London, then Paris. His operas “Rienzi”, “Flying Dutchman”

were positively received by the public. In the following works of Wagner “Tannhauser”, “Lohengrin” the main musical content is carried by the orchestra, the scenes are characterized by a smooth transition.

After the defeat of the Dresden uprising, in which Wagner took part, he fled to Switzerland. Due to the announcement by his criminal of Germany, Wagner does not return to his homeland for 13 years. At that time the operas of Richard Wagner on the epos of the Middle Ages were started. In 1853 the cycle “The Ring of the Nibelung” was completed. Another famous work for Wagner was the drama “Tristan and Isolde”. In 1860 in the life of Wilhelm Richard Wagner an unfortunate event happened: the scandalous failure of the opera “Tannhäuser” at the Paris premiere. In 1863, Wagner was provided with a full amnesty, King Ludwig II invited the composer to settle near Munich and provided material assistance.

Wagner’s novel with the wife of the conductor Bulov did not prevent his friend from holding the premiere of Tristan and Isolde. This music of

Richard Wagner corresponds to melodic harmony in combination with the love expressiveness inherent in the composer’s predilection for the philosophy of Schopenhauer. Opposite on the direction of the opera “Nuremberg Mayzingsingers” was written by the order of Ludwig II.

Later, Wagner began to live in the town of Tribshen together with his new wife Cosima von Bülow. In 1876 a full cycle of “Rings” was put. In 1882, Wagner moved to Venice, where he died of a heart attack in 1883.


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Biography of Richard Wagner