May 22, 2013 - Happy Birthday, Richard Wagner

Hooray for this German composer for his thoughts about making operas and musical dramas a total experience—where poetry meets visual effects and theater sets, where music meets acting, where show meets story.





Boo for Wagner's antisemitic writings! These are opinions that seem to show that he was prejudiced against Jewish people. (Strange because all his life Wagner had Jewish friends and supporters. How did they feel about his writings, I wonder?)

Wagner had a large influence on music, and his Tristan und Isolde is often credited with being the beginning of modern classical music. He also impacted literature, philosophy and even the visual arts. 

Such famous folks as philosopher Nietzsche, painter Renoir, composer Debussy, writers Thomas Mann and James Joyce and T.S. Eliot, and even modern-day rock band Rammstein have all been influenced by Wagner.

Enjoy some Wagner music...


Explore some more...

Here is a printable booklet about Wagner, “The Story of the Boy Who Wrote Little Plays.” 

Hmm...I'm not sure I see the influence of Wagner on Rammstein. But I trust the band if they say there is one! Here is an interesting music video by Ramstein, “Amerika.”


Plan Ahead...

Check out my Pinterest boards of June holidays, historical anniversaries in June, and June birthdays.

Also, for the remainder of May: May holidays, historical events in May, and May birthdays.


Also on this date:














National Maritime Day

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