Richard Wagner
Country of origin:
Germany
Birthday:
May 22, 1813
Date of death:
February 13, 1883
Upcoming Performances
Der Ring ohne Worte
Conductor: Christoph König
Orchestra: Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE
April 16, 2026 |
Madrid (Spain) , Teatro Monumental
About Richard Wagner
The childhood of Richard Wagner (born on 22 May 1813) was divided between Dresden and Leipzig, where he had his first composition lessons in 1831/32 from Christian Theodor Weinlig, cantor at the Thomasschule. In 1833 he became chorus master at the Würzburg theatre. Later he held brief appointments as music director at theatres in Bad Lauchstädt, Magdeburg, and Königsberg, where he married the actress Minna Planer in 1836.
A conducting engagement took him to Riga in 1837, but in 1839 Wagner and Minna left Riga and his creditors under cover of night, heading for Paris over the stormy Baltic Sea. There he remained for three hard years, completing Rienzi (1840). His years in Paris turned into a bitterly disappointing experience. He eked out something less than a living by doing musical hack-work and writing articles. His first success with Rienzi in Dresden in 1842 led to his appointment as musical director (Hofkapellmeister) at Dresden in 1843, and shortly afterwards Der fliegende Holländer as well as his innovative Tannhäuser were performed for the first time. Some of his outstanding achievements were a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and his revised version of Gluck’s Iphigenie in Aulis.
In May 1849, having taken part in the revolt in Saxony, Wagner had to flee abroad, and after failing to establish himself as opera composer in Paris he settled with his wife in Zurich in 1857. They lived in a house on the Wesendonck estate under the patronage of the financier Otto von Wesendonck. While in Zurich he published various theoretical writings and composed Das Rheingold, Die Walküre and two acts of the opera Siegfried. While working on the Ring cycle, Wagner had fallen in love with Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his wealthy patron. The Ring Cycle work was interrupted in 1857 and not continued until 12 years later. He shifted his interest to a new subject, the love tragedy Tristan und Isolde. In an untenable situation in 1858 he moved first to Venice, then to Lucerne, Paris and Vienna.
Although he was composing what would become some of the most famous pieces in music history, Wagner struggled financially until 1864, when Ludwig II of Bavaria called him to Munich and began supporting him. So, in 1865 Tristan und Isolde and in 1868 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg were premiered in Munich. Already by 1866 Wagner had fallen into disfavour amongst members of the court, who were suspicious of his influence on the king. He left Munich and went to Tribschen (near Lucerne), where he married Cosima von Bülow in 1870, the daughter of his friend Franz Liszt, who always supported him humanly and artistically. Around that time Die Meistersinger was finished, and he worked steadily at the unfinished portion of Der Ring des Nibelungen and further evolved the intellectual framework for his towering mature masterpieces.
In 1872 Wagner, his wife and the three children Isolde, Eva and Siegfried settled in Bayreuth. Wagner was anxious to have a special Festival Theatre for the complete cycle and spent much energy trying to raise money for it. Finally, King Ludwig II provided the necessary support. In 1872 the cornerstone was laid on Bayreuth’s Green Hill and the opera house was built to his personal specifications and suited to the massive fusion of music, staging, text, and scene design that his later operas entailed. The first festival – an artistic triumph but a financial disaster – was held there in 1876, when the complete Ring was given conducted by Hans Richter. In 1882 the second Bayreuth Festival took place with sixteen performances of Parsifal under Hermann Levi, which were financially successful. After that, Wagner and his family who had already spent the winter in Italy for some years, went to Venice where he died on 13 February 1883 of the heart trouble that had been with him for some years.
Products
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DocumentsComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Peter Jost | Egon VossMedia Type: BookEdition: complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 22
Language: GermanProduct number: RWA 222BookBookIn stock€316.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
erzählt nach Richard Wagners OperMedia Type: CDProduct number: MH9027CDCDCDIn stock€17.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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erzählt nach Richard Wagners OperComposer: Richard WagnerAuthor: Sonny KunstMedia Type: BookSeries: Jugend liebt Musik
Language: GermanProduct number: MH9027BookBookOut of stock€20.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
erzählt nach Richard Wagners OpernzyklusComposer: Richard WagnerAuthor: Sonny KunstMedia Type: BookSeries: Jugend liebt Musik
Language: GermanProduct number: MH9024BookBookOut of stock€23.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Textbuch - Einführung und KommentarProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €13.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: August Horn | Carl TausigInstrumentation: piano (4 hands)Product number: ED0 12Product TypeIn stockAs low as €4.99Incl. Tax
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Vorspiel - 1. AktComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Johannes GeffertSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: organProduct number: BSS 26845Product TypeIn stockAs low as €14.99Incl. Tax -
VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, Double BassInstrumentation: Large OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-25Product TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, CelloInstrumentation: Large OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-24Product TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, ViolaInstrumentation: large orchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-23Product TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, Violin IIInstrumentation: Large OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-22Product TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, Violin IInstrumentation: Large OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-21Product TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Wind partsInstrumentation: Large OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469-20Product TypeIn stockAs low as €29.99Incl. Tax
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Walthers PreisliedComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Vorspiel zum III. AktComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Werkeinführung von H. StoffelsComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Thilo Cornelissen | Dietrich StoverockMedia Type: BookEdition: Student's editionSeries: Die Oper
Language: GermanProduct number: RL33410BookBookIn stock€11.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Werkeinführung von H. StoffelsComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Thilo Cornelissen | Dietrich StoverockMedia Type: BookEdition: TextbookSeries: Die Oper
Language: GermanProduct number: RL33400BookBookIn stock€18.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Handlung in drei AufzügenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance material, based on the Complete EditionLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Handlung in drei AufzügenComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Documents and TextComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: BookEdition: complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 28
Product number: RWA 228BookBookIn stock€318.60Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Dritter Aufzug, Anhang (Bearbeitung: Preislied) und Kritischer BerichtComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and critical report, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 9/III
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Vol. 9/III
Product number: RWA 109-30Print editionPrint editionIn stock€287.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Zweiter Aufzug und Anhang (Konzertfassung: Schusterlied)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 9/II
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Vol. 9/II
Product number: RWA 109-20Print editionPrint editionIn stock€154.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Erster Aufzug (Vorspiel auch mit Konzertschluß) und Anhang (Konzertfassungen: Versammlung der Meistersingerzunft / Pogners Anrede / "Fanget an!")Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 9/I
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Vol. 9/I
Product number: RWA 109-10Print editionPrint editionIn stock€257.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Faksimile der Reinschrift des Textbuches von 1862 mit einem Aufsatz zur Entstehung des Werkes.BookBookIn stock€33.99Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Piano reductionSeries: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Instrumentation: Soloists, Choir and OrchestraLanguage: German, EnglishProduct number: ED 1087Print editionPrint editionIn stock€65.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Handlung in drei AufzügenComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreSeries: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Instrumentation: Soli, Choir and OrchestraProduct number: BSS 18469Print editionPrint editionIn stock€235.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
„Fanget an!“ für Tenor und OrchesterComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance material, based on the Complete EditionLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Schusterlied für Bass und OrchesterComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance material, based on the Complete EditionLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Walthers PreisliedComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Schlussgesang des Hans SachsComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Monolog des Hans SachsComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Quintett aus dem dritten AktComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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FliedermonologComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Media Type: MiscellaneousEdition: Postcards (10 Pieces mixed)Product number: SKK 2-10MiscellaneousMiscellaneousIn stock€4.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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Arie (Gebet) des Richard Boll | Einlage zur lyrischen Oper „Die Schweizerfamilie“ von Joseph Weigl | Rekonstruktives Arrangement von Michael RotComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Michael RotMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreInstrumentation: bass and orchestraProduct number: VGH 2320-12Print editionPrint editionIn stock€36.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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Arie (Gebet) des Richard Boll | Einlage zur lyrischen Oper „Die Schweizerfamilie“ von Joseph Weigl | Rekonstruktives Arrangement von Michael RotComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Michael RotMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Piano reductionInstrumentation: bass and orchestraProduct number: VGH 2320-22Print editionPrint editionIn stock€28.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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Arie (Gebet) des Richard Boll | Einlage zur lyrischen Oper „Die Schweizerfamilie“ von Joseph Weigl | Rekonstruktives Arrangement von Michael Rot für Baß und OrchesterComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Michael RotMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Der Ring des NibelungenProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €44.99Incl. Tax
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Der Ring des NibelungenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa Jost | Christa JostEdition: Study scoreInstrumentation: orchestraProduct number: ETP 8055Product TypeIn stockAs low as €64.99Incl. Tax
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Der Ring des NibelungenProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €11.99Incl. Tax
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Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Liebeslied)Composer: Richard WagnerEdition: TenorSeries: Edition Schott - Single Edition
Instrumentation: tenor and pianoProduct number: ED0 60Product TypeIn stockAs low as €3.99Incl. Tax -
Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Liebeslied)Composer: Richard WagnerEdition: BaritoneSeries: Edition Schott - Single Edition
Instrumentation: baritone and pianoProduct number: ED0 59Product TypeIn stockAs low as €3.99Incl. Tax -
Sigmunds LiebesliedComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Der Ring des NibelungenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa Jost | Christa JostMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Versopm with reduced wind instruments by Alfons AbbassComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Reduzierte Besetzung von Gotthold Ephraim LessingComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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aus "Der Ring des Nibelungen" - Erster TagComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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The Nibelung's Ring (WWV 86) A Theatre Festival Play for Three Days and a Preliminary Evening (Vols. 10-13)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa JostMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and critical report, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 11/III
Die Walküre, Vol. 11/III
Product number: RWA 111-30Print editionPrint editionIn stock€265.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
The Nibelung's Ring (WWV 86) A Theatre Festival Play for Three Days and a Preliminary Evening (Vols. 10-13)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa JostMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 11/II
Die Walküre, Vol. 11/II
Product number: RWA 111-20Print editionPrint editionIn stock€239.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
Performances
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Marek Janowski
Orchestra: Sinfonia Varsovia
April 27, 2026 |
Warszawa (Poland) , Studio Koncertowe Polskiego Radia im. Witolda Lutosławskiego
Siegfried
Conductor: Markus Bosch
Orchestra: China NCPA Orchestra
April 28, 2026 |
Beijing (China) , National Centre for the Performing Arts
Siegfried
Conductor: Markus Bosch
Orchestra: China NCPA Orchestra
April 30, 2026 |
Beijing (China) , National Centre for the Performing Arts
Fünf Gedichte
Conductor: Artem Lonhinov
April 30, 2026 |
Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) , Theater, Großes Haus
Parsifal
Conductor: Artem Lonhinov
April 30, 2026 |
Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) , Theater, Großes Haus
daraus: "Nur eine Waffe taugt"
Tristan und Isolde
Conductor: Kent Nagano
Orchestra: Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
May 1, 2026 |
Berlin (Germany) , Philharmonie
Siegfried
Conductor: Markus Bosch
Orchestra: China NCPA Orchestra
May 2, 2026 |
Beijing (China) , National Centre for the Performing Arts
Siegfried
Conductor: Markus Bosch
Orchestra: China NCPA Orchestra
May 4, 2026 |
Beijing (China) , National Centre for the Performing Arts
Fünf Gedichte
Conductor: Artem Lonhinov
May 7, 2026 |
Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) , Theater, Großes Haus
Parsifal
Conductor: Artem Lonhinov
May 7, 2026 |
Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) , Theater, Großes Haus
daraus: "Nur eine Waffe taugt"
The Ring without Words
Conductor: Pietari Inkinen
Orchestra: Tampere Filharmonia
May 8, 2026 |
Tampere (Finland) , Tampere-talo
Iphigenia in Aulis
Conductor: Michael Hofstetter
Orchestra: Thüringer Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach
May 8, 2026 |
Bayreuth (Germany) , Friedrichsforum
Das Rheingold
Conductor: Killian Farrell
9. Mai 2026 |
Meiningen (Deutschland) , Staatstheater, Großes Haus
Die Walküre
Conductor: Yu Feng
Orchestra: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
May 10, 2026 |
Shanghai (China) , Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall