The sorcerer of Bayreuth

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The enchanting power of Wagner's music evokes strong reactions, both positive and negative. Richard Wagner elicits fiercely divergent responses; for Baudelaire, his music induces intoxication, while Nietzsche likens it to a disease. In this engaging overview, Barry Millington, a leading authority on Wagner, explores the life and works of this influential and controversial composer. The richly illustrated book delves into various themes, including Wagner's sources of inspiration, his compositional process, his relationships with his wife Cosima and mistress Mathilde Wesendonck, and his complex ideology, including the troubling anti-Semitism in his operas. It also examines the proto-cinematic nature of his works and the tumultuous legacy of the Bayreuth Festival and Wagnerism. Millington presents these themes through elegantly designed chapters that combine text, illustrations, and documents, moving beyond conventional formats. By drawing on the latest biographical and musicological scholarship, much of it conducted by himself, Millington reassesses established views on Wagner's life and music, challenging clichés and promoting a deeper understanding. This reappraisal, marking Wagner's bicentenary, offers readers a fresh perspective on one of the most provocative composers and his unparalleled music.