Essay Example on Richard Wagner: A Life Journey Explored

As vividly as possible, John Runciman takes us through Richard Wagner's life, little by little, literally. Using well-organized chapters and intriguing story about Richard Wagner is narrated, with so much expertise that leaves us amused. One cannot stop wondering, what an amazing man Richard Wagner was. The chapters of his book have been arranged meticulously from Richard Wagner's early life till his demise. For a man who revolutionized Operas, the book is worth every second you spend reading it. Richard Wagner was born at the precincts of Bohemia, a place that was characterized by court etiquette. Later, when he became an adult and began writing in theatres, his early life affected how he performed. This is an excellent book as it shows us the evolution of music as an art, especially operas.

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The central theme that stands out throughout this book is the constant love and passion for music, as an art. Richard Wagner was a man that was proud of himself and his work. In his own words, Runciman states that "Wagner wrote so much about himself and his art, and appeared so fully satisfied with his explanations of why he became just what he became and of why his art was just what it was, that naturally for nearly a generation his critics into or other of two errors. Either they accepted his ideas unreservedly, or as unreservedly they rejected them." (Page 5). This statement clearly illustrates that Richard Wagner was obsessed with music as an art, and he is mentioned as one of the top Europe musicians of his generation. His love for music was unrivaled; perhaps that is why he decided to revolutionize operas. His skills were also second to none as he strived to be better every day.

For his love of music, he even built his own opera house, where he would perform his compositions. As the book describes, he did not reform the opera technique; he just developed it. This was a time that this genre of music was not familiar to many people. We can see that he wanted to leave a mark in an area that he revered so much. The book also shows how much he was committed and disciplined in his ideas. Richard Wagner is portrayed as a perfectionist. He directed his performances in ways which he believed, correctly.

Creativity is the fabric that holds art together. It is a creativity that gives art meaning and the ability to be understood and interpreted. Richard Wagner used the technique to convey his messages to the audience in a creative way. Richard Wagner is famous for his work, "Tristan and Isolda", a magnificent piece of art. The author describes this as Wagner's most perfect work. The author also indicates that some of his audience did not understand this piece of art. The reason as to why most people did not recognize him is how he presented his ideas. He did not hesitate trying out new techniques that people had not seen before. He expressed himself and his thoughts without fear of criticism. He was always willing to go the extra mile to make sure his performances were perfect

From reading the book, we learn about Richard Wagner and how he revolutionized operas. The author describes Wagner's consummate dramatic art vividly. One gets to know about Wagner's stage-craft and knowledge of stage in perfect detail. The importance of creativity and passion for art is made clear. By writing Richard Wagner's biography, John Runciman reveals the development of music as an art, especially operas.

Work Cited

"Richard Wagner." Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 13 Aug. 2019, https://www.biography.com/musician/richard-wagner.