Full Description
The grandiose operas of Richard Wagner - "Tannhauser", the "Ring Cycle" and "Tristan und Isolde" - still affect audiences with their deeply symbolic dramatic expressions of love, fate and religious fervor. Yet, because of the association of his music with National Socialism and his own anti-Semitism, Wagner himself remains deeply controversial. Barry Millington leads a team of scholars in an examination into the life and music of the composer who transformed opera. Included are descriptions of Wagner's political and religious beliefs, the musical and historical background of his works, the reception accorded his music and his enduring influence on music, literature and the visual arts. Other titles in the series include "The Mozart Compendium" and "The Beethoven Compendium".
