- The true identity of his biological father remains a mystery. Richard Wagner strongly suspected his stepfather fathered him. Therefore, he carried this doubt throughout his life.
- Furthermore, the future genius showed no early talent. A frustrated teacher once claimed Richard Wagner simply tortured the piano. Consequently, he preferred reading literature over practicing scales.
- Surprisingly, he wrote both the musical score and text for all his operas. This dual role remained highly unusual during his era. Nevertheless, he firmly believed art required this approach.
- Consequently, he frequently went on the run to escape his massive mounting debts. Richard Wagner allegedly even dressed as a woman once. Then, he used this clever disguise to easily evade angry Viennese tax investigators.
- Moreover, a terrifying sea crossing while fleeing angry creditors directly inspired one of his greatest operas. He safely survived the dangerous storm. Later, he channeled that dark voyage into his famous nautical masterpiece.
- Additionally, Richard Wagner actively participated in a violent political uprising during the year 1849. The authorities quickly issued a strict warrant for his arrest. Therefore, he spent the next twelve long years living as a wanted exile.
- Specifically, he possessed an absolutely enormous ego throughout his entire adult life. He once proudly asked a complete stranger for a large financial loan. Afterward, he angrily scolded the man for missing a historic opportunity.
- Indeed, he boldly demanded massive advance payments for his epic musical Ring Cycle. He successfully secured these vital funds from his publisher. Amazingly, he received this money before he even wrote a single musical note.
- As a result, he eventually designed and physically built his own massive opera house. Richard Wagner wanted a grand theater that perfectly matched his specific artistic vision. Today, this unique venue still hosts an annual summer festival.
- Furthermore, he actually invented a completely new brass musical instrument. He created the unique Wagner tuba for his legendary Ring Cycle. Ultimately, he needed this special device to achieve his perfect orchestral sound.
- However, he absolutely hated the loud sound of the traditional trombone. He famously called it the ultimate instrument of the devil. Thus, he rarely gave the instrument a prominent melodic role in his compositions.
- Meanwhile, a scandalous secret love affair heavily inspired his romantic masterpiece Tristan und Isolde. He constantly borrowed money from his wealthy patron. Simultaneously, he secretly dated the generous man’s beautiful young wife.
- Next, he eventually married the young daughter of another incredibly famous classical composer. Franz Liszt formally became his reluctant father-in-law. Surprisingly, his new bride was twenty-four years younger than him.
- Stylistically, he completely abandoned the traditional operatic structure of alternating individual arias. Instead, he pioneered a continuous dramatic musical flow. Consequently, his massive orchestral melodies never stopped until the final heavy curtain dropped.
- Finally, he suddenly suffered a fatal heart attack while vacationing in beautiful Venice. His grieving family arranged a highly theatrical final journey. Then, a solemn dark gondola carried his silent body across the famous Grand Canal.
Sources & References
Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Wagner-German-composer
Deutsche Grammophon: https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/composers/richard-wagner/biography
