RICHARD WAGNER

Wagner was a musician, poet and a man with faith in his qualities and his work.

He was born on May 22nd 1813 in the city of Leipzig, Germany. His father died six months after his birth. His mother remarried an intelligent and educated man with a special love for the arts which had a positive influence on the intellectual development of his stepson, Richard.

Regarding Richard in his early teens, more is known of his literary concerns, but, after receiving lessons in the piano and violin and expressing his deepest admiration for Beethoven he decided to devote himself to music — even though his teachers warned him that he did not possess a gift for it.

He worked arduously and after a few years presented his first works titled ‘The Weddings’ and ‘The Fairies.’ He was also named concert master of the Wurzburg Opera.

In 1836 he married the singer Wilhelmine Planer with whom he would not lead the life that he needed — a life full of peace and tranquility. Wilhelmine complained constantly about the harshness of Wagner’s character. To preserve himself Wagner went into exile until the year 1861. He would withstand many economic hardships (which were resolved by Liszt) and even though so burdened he decided to free himself of many conventions — he wanted to create operas derived from his own system. He put his doctrines into practice and at the end of 1852 finished ‘The Ring of the Nibelung.’

By 1857 he was possessed by a Schopenhauer-like pessimism and the prevailing environment suffocated him. He had serious problems with his wife Wilhelmine until she finally left him forever. Extremely tormented, Wagner found a refuge for his soul in the home of the Wesendoncks. He moved to Venice. Then, once his exile had ended he returned to his homeland where he engaged in some artistic productions. His economic situation went from bad to worse — but everything seemed to resolve itself when the young King of Bavaria, Ludwig II, reached out to him. Wagner, in turn, attempted to work as best he could in order to fully repay the favors of the King.

In financial terms, Richard Wagner was never at peace except for the final years of his life. He would solve these monetary crises through sudden proposals for work or help from friends — above all from Liszt.

In 1838 he accepted the post of director of the theater orchestra at Rienzi — and composed a work of the same name. With great faith in this opera he moved to Paris, believing that he had in his hands such a magnificent work it would open all doors for him. But it did not. Soon his hopes evaporated and he suffered adversities for three years.

In 1842 Wagner returned to Germany and presented his opera Rienzi in the Dresden Royal Theater. They offered him more work and he premiered The Flying Dutchman. Meanwhile, behind his back, a coalition prepared to undo him. This was the worst time in his life since, in addition, he lost his mother. This caused him such pain he attempted suicide.

Wagner left for Triebschen, on the shore of Lake Lucerne, where he would spend six years. He met Liszt’s daughter who would get a divorce in order to marry him. They had a son. This would prove a great source of joy and would also be a source of inspiration for some of Wagner’s works. In this time of tranquility with his wife, Cosima, Wagner wrote ‘The Siegfried Idyll,’ ‘The Mastersingers of Nuremberg’ and almost finished ‘The Twilight of the Gods.’ In 1872 he built a theater in Bayreuth to present ‘The Ring of the Nibelung.’

In 1882 ‘Parsifal’ was also premiered there, the swan song of that restless spirit that had finally met its apotheosis.

He wintered in Italy for four years due to his delicate health. Heart failure ended his life in Venice. This happened on February 13th 1883.

With his life, Wagner gave us an example of the value of the human spirit when perseverance serves intelligence and drive.