Page 184 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

182 COMPLETE ART WORK

IN CONTEXT
FOCUS
Complete art work
BEFORE
1821 Weber’s Der Freischütz,
considered to be the first
German Romantic opera,
premieres in Berlin.
1824 Beethoven completes
his Ninth Symphony. In a form
that was traditionally wordless,
Beethoven’s use of words in
the symphony’s finale greatly
influenced Wagner.
1849 After being forced into
exile, Wagner begins a series
of essays setting out a plan for
reforming opera. The first step
later becomes The Ring.
wo things changed beyond The valkyrie Brünnhilde meets the
1862 Wagner conducts recognition in Wagner’s lovers Siegmund and Sieglinde to warn
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony T lifetime: German opera and Siegmund of his imminent death. This
in Bayreuth to celebrate the Germany itself. The country that he scene from Wagner’s Die Walküre was
laying of the corner stone of grew up in was little more than a painted by Gaston Bussière (1893).
the Festspielhaus. group of loosely linked principalities

AFTER and kingdoms, while German opera for even a fraction of the quasi-
1883 Wagner’s widow Cosima before Wagner was fighting a losing religious devotion that Wagner’s
takes over the running of the battle against imports from France vast musical dramas inspired.
Bayreuth Festival, exercising and Italy—apart from a few notable
iron control until her death exceptions. Beethoven’s Fidelio, The road to Revolution
Mozart’s Don Giovanni (performed
More than any other composer
in 1930.
in German in the German-speaking before him, Wagner’s own life
1933 Hitler comes to power lands), and the Romantic operas of and art were intertwined with the
in Germany and, as an ardent Carl Maria von Weber represented developments—political, historical,
Wagnerian, involves himself the only resistance against the and philosophical—of the world
intimately with the running prevailing taste for foreign operatic around him. From an early age,
of the festival. imports, often poorly performed in he was fascinated with how to
the various court theatres that were combine drama and music, and
1976 Bayreuth’s centenary dotted around Germany. increasingly, with how a new sort
staging of The Ring, later By the time of Wagner’s death in of opera could help revitalize the art
widely televised, presents 1883, Germany was a nation-state. form in Germany, as well as inspire
the work as a critique of German opera—or, more correctly, and unite the country itself. He was
19th-century industrialization. Wagnerian opera—had conquered unusual among opera composers
France, Italy, and beyond. Other in that he always wrote his own
composers rushed to emulate his librettos (the words that were set to
harmonic adventurousness and his music) and did so even in his early
richly symphonic style and longed operas. His first opera, Die Feen

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