Do you stand for Richard Wagner or do you not? That question was enough to sever friendships fifty years ago. It created a riot at the Paris Opera in 1861. Wagner’s Art admitted of no compromise. It was either Gospel or Apocrypha, and it had to be accepted as one or the other. It commanded enthusiastic admiration or provoked strident resentment. Many came to rail and remained to worship. Some came in curiosity and left in dismay. For half a century Richard Wagner was the center of bitter conflict. But the people listened to him and seemed to appreciate and understand. In the blackest hours, the messages of Franz Liszt, Wagner’s best friend, sustained him: “be of good cheer, the people are wi…
Your support pays for translating these classics into more languages.
Support for $12/month DonateSubscribers read with instant translation, without waiting for the free daily limit.