Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany, on May 22, 1813; he was a one out of nine child in his family. His father, Carl Friedrich Wagner was a clerk in the Leipzig police service but died just sixth months after Richard was born. Richards mother, Johanna Rosine Wagner was living with the actor and Play writer Ludwig Geyer. For fourteen years of his life, William Wagner was known as Wilhelm Richard Geyer, but eventually changed it back to Wagner.

Wagner and his stepfather shared the love for theatre and Richard Wagner even took part in performances. Wagner went to school at Pastor Wetzel's school at Possendorf, where he received piano lessons from his Latin teacher. Following Wagner's stepfather's death Richard was sent to the Kreuz Grammar School in Dresden, which was paid for by his brother. Wagner being very young at the time started witting his own plays, his first was Leubald und Adelaide, which was a gruesome tragedy and was strongly influenced by Shakespeare and Goethe. Wagner had his mind set on turning the Leubald und Adelaide into a musical and persuaded his family to let him take music lessons.

Wagner and his family moved back to Leipzig in 1827, and Wagner's first lessons in composition were taken between 1828 and 1831. Wagner was inspired by Beethoven when he heard his 7th Symphony. Wagner's first attempt at opera was when he was 19 it was called the Das Liebesverbot (The Wedding). Wagner's three completed early-stage operas are Die Feen (The Fairies), Das Liebesverbot (The Ban on Love), and Rienzi. Wagner's middle stage works are considered to be much higher quality than his earlier days. His middle period began with Der fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman), followed by Tannhauser and Lohengrin. Wagner's late stage operas are considered his masterpieces that advance the art of opera, some of which are Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Iseult) which was considered by some that it was Wagner's greatest single opera. Wagner had many other compositions but I don't have time to list all of them. Richard Wagner died of a heart attack February 13, 1883 in the Palazzo Vendramin on the Grand Canal.