The German Composer Richard Wagner
The German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor, Richard Wagner, was best known for his operas. He wrote librettos and composed the music for them. Some of his operas are considered classics, such as Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg and Cosima von Bulow.
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
Among the mature Wagner operas, Meistersinger stands out as an affable comic parable set in a time and place that is historically well-defined. It draws its characters from the Meistersinger guild that was active in the 16th century Nuremberg.
Originally, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg was conceived as a comic companion to Tannhauser, one of Wagner's most popular works. However, after completing Tannhauser, the composer decided to focus on Lohengrin, a spiritual tale based on a German legend. Lohengrin took priority and was completed in 1867.
While the composer did not intend the opera to have anti-Semitic overtones, the work was interpreted as such by many during the Nazi era. Wagner's opera was a favorite of Hitler, and the praise for German art fit with his racist views. The character of Beckmesser is a caricature of a stereotypical Jew.
After the premiere, Meistersinger is performed throughout central Europe. The final phrase of the opera, "Preserve German art from foreign threats," evoked German nationalism and became a rallying cry for the German people during the Franco-Prussian War and the Wilhelmine Reich. The opera's performance also took place during the Weimar Republic and Third Reich.
Die Feen
The libretto of Richard Wagner's Die Feen is available in German and English. The opera was first staged in Birmingham on 17 May 1969 and was later performed at New York City Opera on 24 February 1982. The opera was also staged in Wuppertal, Germany in 1981 by Friedrich Meyer-Oertel. In 2009, the work was presented for the first time in France, at the Théâtre du Chatelet. It was also staged by the Lyric Opera of Los Angeles under the direction of Robert Sage.
The opera features strong female roles. The prince Arindal has an impulsive love affair with the warrior-queen Lora. The opera's premiere in Leipzig was accompanied by a performance by Elisabet Strid. The opera is a precocious example of Wagner's development as a composer. The composer strove to change his musical style from the tunefulness and rigidity of early Romantic arias to a more irregular and unpredictable one.
Wagner's libretto was based on Carlo Gozzi's play "La donna serpent," a fairy-tale satire that emphasizes the tragic clash of worlds. The opera is a wonderful example of Wagner's signature technique, using orchestra and ensembles to create powerful dramatic scenes.
American Centennial March
The American Centennial March is a piece of music composed by Richard Wagner. It was first performed at a concert in Philadelphia in 1876, attended by President Grant. The piece features a rising triplet that is present in almost every bar. This element is used as the central motive of the piece, and it extends throughout the entire composition. It contrasts with a lyrical theme found in bar 80.
This work was originally composed for the opening of the United States centennial celebration in Philadelphia, which marked the country's hundredth anniversary of independence. However, it was not well-received and is seldom performed today. To view the full score, please disable autoplay. It contains 33 pages and 36 cm of music.
The American Centennial March by Richard Wagner was composed for a world fair held in Philadelphia in 1876. The city wanted to recreate the success of the fairs held in Paris and Vienna. In order to do this, they commissioned Wagner to write a piece specifically for the event. Wagner, who was one of the most famous composers of the time, collaborated with Theodore Thomas to create the piece.
Cosima von Bulow
In the summer of 1864, Cosima von Bulow and Richard Wagner began a secret relationship. Though they were still married, Wagner was having an affair with the opera singer and they were expecting a child. They had a daughter together, Isolde. This love triangle was a huge social scandal. In 1867, Cosima left her husband and moved in with Wagner. In 1870, she was married to Wagner.
Von Bulow was born in Dresden in 1830. As a young girl, she would listen to Wagner's music and watch him conduct the orchestra. When she was 16, she was in love with Wagner. She later became a formidable pianist and became his piano virtuoso.
Cosima was twenty-four years younger than her husband, who died in 1883. Cosima Wagner devoted the rest of her life to keeping the Wagnerian flame alive after Wagner's death. She also honed the Bayreuth festival into a Wagnerian celebration, commemorating the composer's canonical works.
