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Richard Wagner
Country of origin:
Germany
Birthday:
May 22, 1813
Date of death:
February 13, 1883
Upcoming Performances
The Ring
Conductor: Stephan Zilias
Orchestra: Niedersächsisches Staatsorchester Hannover
June 8, 2026 |
Hannover (Germany) , Opernhaus
Lohengrin
Conductor: Jochen Rieder
Orchestra: Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii Podkarpackiej
June 11, 2026 |
Rzeszów (Poland) , Filharmonia Podkarpacka im. Artura Malawskiego
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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Reduzierte Besetzung von Gotthold Ephraim LessingComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
aus "Der Ring des Nibelungen" - Erster TagComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
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 -
Composer: Richard WagnerArranger: Victor van WildérMedia Type: BookEdition: LibrettoLanguage: FrenchProduct number: BN 3921-70BookBookIn stock€7.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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VorspielComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa JostMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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"Du bist der Lenz"Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Christa JostMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
Wotans Abschied und FeuerzauberHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Der Ritt der WalkürenHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Wotans Abschied und FeuerzauberComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
Siegmunds LiebesliedComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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(Die Walküre)Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: soprano and pianoProduct number: ED 22889 Q815928E-score PDFE-score PDFIn stock€3.99Incl. Tax -
für kleines OrchesterComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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for orchestra (2nd version)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Peter Jost | Egon VossMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
(Elsa's dream) from "Lohengrin"Composer: Richard WagnerArranger: Karl Klindworth | Wilhelm LutzSeries: Edition Schott - Single Edition
Instrumentation: Soprano and PianoProduct number: ED0 2846Product TypeIn stockAs low as €3.99Incl. Tax -
(Lohengrin)Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: soprano and pianoProduct number: ED 22889 Q815924E-score PDFE-score PDFIn stock€3.99Incl. Tax -
Elsas Traum aus "Lohengrin"Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Johannes DoebberMedia Type: Sheet musicSeries: Operngesänge, 232
Instrumentation: soprano and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: RL35630Print editionPrint editionIn stock€8.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
from "Tannhäuser"Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Fritz Meyer | E. ThomasSeries: Edition Schott - Single Edition
Instrumentation: violin and pianoProduct number: ED0 2904Product TypeIn stockAs low as €3.99Incl. Tax -
"Freudig begrüßen wir die edle Halle" aus "Tannhäuser"Composer: Richard WagnerArranger: Heinrich PoosEdition: Choral scoreInstrumentation: mixed choir (SATB) and piano (4 hands) or orchestraProduct number: ED 7156-01Product TypeIn stockAs low as €3.99Incl. Tax
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"Freudig begrüßen wir die edle Halle" aus "Tannhäuser"Composer: Richard WagnerArranger: Heinrich PoosMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, (= piano part)Instrumentation: mixed choir (SATB) and piano (4 hands) or orchestraLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 7156Print editionPrint editionIn stock€25.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Media Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and partsInstrumentation: wind bandProduct number: 3016250Print editionPrint editionOut of stock€81.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Media Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and partsInstrumentation: wind bandProduct number: 3010731Print editionPrint editionOut of stock€137.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Media Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreInstrumentation: wind bandProduct number: 3016251Print editionPrint editionOut of stock€12.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Media Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreInstrumentation: wind bandProduct number: 3010732Print editionPrint editionOut of stock€25.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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aus der Oper „Tannhäuser”Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicInstrumentation: Voice and Piano (4 hands)Language: GermanProduct number: AF 6228Print editionPrint editionIn stock€10.95Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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aus der Oper „Tannhäuser”Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreInstrumentation: Voice and OrchestraLanguage: GermanProduct number: AF 2967Print editionPrint editionIn stock€10.95Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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(Lohengrin)Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: soprano and pianoProduct number: ED 22889 Q815925E-score PDFE-score PDFIn stock€3.99Incl. Tax -
(Siegfried)Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: soprano and pianoProduct number: ED 22889 Q815931E-score PDFE-score PDFIn stock€3.99Incl. Tax -
for orchestra (A Faust ouverture, 1st version)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Egon VossMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
Composer: Richard WagnerArranger: Louis BrassinSeries: Edition Schott - Single Edition
Instrumentation: PianoProduct number: ED0 75Product TypeIn stockAs low as €4.99Incl. Tax -
arranged for bass and orchestra by Georg VollerthumComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Georg VollerthunMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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von Mathilde WesendonckComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
eingerichtet von Rudi KöhlerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and partsProduct number: EE 5458Print editionPrint editionIn stock€24.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
(Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg)Composer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: soprano and pianoProduct number: ED 22889 Q815923E-score PDFE-score PDFIn stock€3.99Incl. Tax -
Der Ring des NibelungenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Klaus Doege | Eva Katharina KleinEdition: Piano reductionProduct number: ED 20550Product TypeIn stockAs low as €45.99Incl. Tax -
Der Ring des NibelungenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Hartmut FladtMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
The Nibelung's Ring (WWV 86) A Theatre Festival Play for Three Days and a Preliminary Evening (Vols. 10-13)Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Hartmut FladtMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and critical report, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 13/III
Götterdämmerung, Vol. 13/III
Product number: RWA 113-30Print editionPrint editionIn stock€266.00Incl. 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: Hartmut FladtMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 13/II
Götterdämmerung, Vol. 13/II
Product number: RWA 113-20Print editionPrint editionIn stock€230.00Incl. 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: Hartmut FladtMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score, complete editionSeries: Richard Wagner - Complete Works, Vol. 13/I
Götterdämmerung, Vol. 13/I
Product number: RWA 113-10Print editionPrint editionIn stock€376.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Der Ring des NibelungenComposer: Richard WagnerEditor: Hartmut FladtEdition: Study scoreInstrumentation: soloists, choir and orchestraProduct number: ETP 8057Product TypeIn stockAs low as €59.99Incl. Tax -
Der Ring des NibelungenProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €14.99Incl. Tax -
sämtliche Harfenstimmen für 1 Instrument eingerichtetComposer: Richard WagnerEdition: Individual part, HarpSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: HarpProduct number: BSS 28536Product TypeIn stockAs low as €19.99Incl. Tax -
TrauermarschComposer: Richard WagnerArranger: Nikolaj KasanliMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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A Symphonic JourneyComposer: Richard Wagner | Ryan WigglesworthArranger: Ryan WigglesworthMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and orchestraHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
Brünnhildes Schlussgesang "Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort"Composer: Richard WagnerEditor: Hartmut FladtMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and orchestraLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
Version with reduced wind instruments by Alfons AbbassComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material -
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" - Dritter TagComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: GermanHire/performance materialHire/performance material
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Funeral MusicComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Eulenburg Miniature Scores
Instrumentation: orchestraProduct number: ETP 811Print editionPrint editionIn stock€11.50Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Der Ring des Nibelungen - Dritter TagComposer: Richard WagnerMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: ScoreInstrumentation: soloists, choir and orchestraProduct number: BSS 21953Print editionPrint editionIn stock€235.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
Performances
The Ring without Words
Conductor: Susanna Mälkki
Orchestra: Helsingin Kaupunginorkesteri (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)
September 25, 2026 |
Helsinki (Finland) , Musiikkitalo
The Ring without Words
Conductor: Susanna Mälkki
Orchestra: Helsingin Kaupunginorkesteri (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)
September 25, 2026 |
Helsinki (Finland) , Musiikkitalo
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Conductor: Frank Beermann
Orchestra: Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
September 27, 2026 |
Minden (Germany) , Stadttheater
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Hendrik Vestmann
Orchestra: Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
September 30, 2026 |
Kiel (Germany) , Opernhaus
The Ring
Conductor: Mark Wigglesworth
Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
September 30, 2026 |
Poole (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) , Lighthouse
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Hendrik Vestmann
Orchestra: Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
October 4, 2026 |
Kiel (Germany) , Opernhaus
Lohengrin
Conductor: Christoph Koncz
October 10, 2026 |
Linz (Austria) , Musiktheater, Großer Saal — First Night
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Hendrik Vestmann
Orchestra: Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
October 18, 2026 |
Kiel (Germany) , Opernhaus
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Hendrik Vestmann
Orchestra: Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
October 29, 2026 |
Kiel (Germany) , Opernhaus
Siegfried
Conductor: Johannes Rieger
November 7, 2026 |
Halberstadt (Germany) , Theater, Großes Haus — First Night
Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg
Conductor: Hendrik Vestmann
Orchestra: Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
November 8, 2026 |
Kiel (Germany) , Opernhaus
The Ring
Conductor: Stanislav Kochanovsky
Orchestra: NDR Radiophilharmonie
December 3, 2026 |
Hannover (Germany) , NDR, Großer Sendesaal
