Richard Wagner Biography and Innovations

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Questions and Answers

What year did Wagner marry Minna Planer?

  • 1849
  • 1836 (correct)
  • 1831
  • 1841

Which work led to Wagner becoming conductor at the Royal Court of Dresden?

  • Rienzi (correct)
  • The Ring Cycle
  • Tristan und Isolde
  • Tannhäuser

Why did Wagner move to Paris in 1839?

  • To join the Republican movement
  • To study music composition
  • To escape creditors (correct)
  • To premiere *Rienzi*

Which composer had a significant impact on guiding Wagner from writing to music?

<p>Beethoven (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age was Wagner allowed to return to Germany from exile?

<p>49 (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which city was Wagner buried?

<p>Bayreuth (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who mentored Wagner and helped him financially?

<p>Liszt (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant work did Wagner complete in 1859?

<p>Tristan und Isolde (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where did Wagner take refuge after he was forced into exile in 1849?

<p>Switzerland (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was unique about Wagner’s approach to opera that differed from most of his contemporaries?

<p>He combined poetry, drama, music, and art. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Richard Wagner's Birth Year

Wagner was born in 1813 in Leipzig, Germany, as the youngest of nine children.

Wagner's First Marriage

He married Minna Planer in 1836; their relationship was turbulent and ended in separation in 1862.

Escape to Paris

In 1839, Wagner moved to Paris to evade creditors, working as a music journalist.

Premiere of Rienzi

Wagner’s opera Rienzi premiered successfully in Dresden in 1842.

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Exile in Switzerland

After joining rebellious Republicans in 1849, Wagner was forced into exile in Switzerland.

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Tristan und Isolde Completion

Wagner completed Tristan und Isolde in 1859, considering it unplayable initially.

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Return to Germany

In 1862, Wagner returned to Germany, compensated by the King of Bavaria and given a villa near Munich.

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Wagner's Musical Innovation

Wagner reinvented opera, combining poetry, drama, music, and art into a singular experience.

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Wagner's Influences

Beethoven significantly influenced Wagner, guiding him from writer to musician alongside Liszt's mentorship.

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The Ring Cycle

Wagner's final major work, The Ring Cycle, was completed towards the end of his life before he died in 1883.

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Study Notes

Richard Wagner Biography

  • Born in 1813 in Leipzig, Germany
  • Youngest of nine children
  • Primarily self-taught in music
  • Married Minna Planer in 1836, marriage lasted until 1862
  • Moved to Paris in 1839 to avoid creditors
  • Worked as a music journalist
  • Successful opera debut in 1842 in Dresden
  • Became conductor at Dresden court in 1843
  • Forced into exile in Switzerland in 1849 due to revolutionary activities
  • Composed Tristan und Isolde in 1859, but public performance delayed until 1865
  • Allowed to return to Germany in 1862
  • Received a villa near Munich
  • Completed the Ring Cycle
  • Died in 1883 in Bayreuth

Wagner's Innovations

  • Reimagined opera as a music drama combining music, poetry, drama, and art
  • Composed music, created plots, and wrote words for his works, unlike many other composers who collaborated with lyricists
  • Began career as a playwright and poet, shifted to music after an illness
  • Widely praised, but has varying opinions surrounding his music, nonetheless praised for greatness.

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