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Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner

1813–1883 · Leipzig, Germany

IMDb

Biography

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (/ˈvɑːɡnər/; German: [ˈʁiçaʁt ˈvaːɡnɐ] (About this sound listen); 22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his later works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the libretto and the music for each of his stage works. He described this vision in a series of essays published between 1849 and 1852. Wagner realised these ideas most fully in the first half of the four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). His compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas, or plot elements. His advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, greatly influenced the development of classical music. His Tristan und Isolde is sometimes described as marking the start of modern music. Famously, he is known for Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied. The four parts that constitute the Ring cycle are, in sequence: Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold) Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) Siegfried Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) Wagner had his own opera house built, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, which embodied many novel design features. The Ring and Parsifal were premiered here and his most important stage works continue to be performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival, run by his descendants. His thoughts on the relative contributions of music and drama in opera were to change again, and he reintroduced some traditional forms into his last few stage works, including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg).

Sound 183

2020s

  1. 2026

    Die Macht des Rings

    Music

  2. Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold @ Salzburg Easter Festival, Felsenreitschule 2026

    Music

  3. Rienzi - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Original Music Composer

  4. Daniele Gatti & Gautier Capuçon Wagner, Saint-Saëns, and Debussy

    Original Music Composer

  5. Der fliegende Holländer - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  6. Richard Wagner: Lohengrin @ Baden-Baden Easter Festival 2026

    Original Music Composer

  7. Wagner: Siegfried - Royal Ballet House

    Original Music Composer

  8. The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  9. Concerto di Pasqua dal Duomo di Orvieto 2026

    Original Music Composer

  10. La Folle Journée de Nantes 2026

    Original Music Composer

  11. 2025

    Tabita Berglund and Julian Steckel

    Original Music Composer

  12. Tannhäuser - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  13. Wagner: Die Walküre - Royal Opera House

    Original Music Composer

  14. Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  15. Vienna Opera Gala With Elina Garança, Sonya Yoncheva, Benjamin Bernheim and Jonas Kaufmann

    Original Music Composer

  16. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Pyongyang Great moments in music

    Original Music Composer

  17. Klaus Florian Vogt sings Mozart, Wagner, and Strauss @ Château de Neuschwanstein 2025

    Original Music Composer

  18. Wagner: La Valchiria

    Original Music Composer

  19. Elīna Garanča - My Playlist

    Original Music Composer

  20. 2024

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  21. A Royal Overture Festival international de Colmar

    Original Music Composer

  22. Concerto di Pasqua dal Duomo di Orvieto 2024

    Original Music Composer

  23. 2023

    Echo Sonata

    Music

  24. Wagner: Das Rheingold - Royal Opera House

    Original Music Composer

  25. Richard Wagner: Siegfried - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin

    Original Music Composer

  26. Richard Wagner: "Parsifal" Bayreuther Festspiele 2023

    Music

  27. Maledictis

    Music

  28. 2022

    Playing with Gods

    Music

  29. Siegfried (Longborough Opera Festival 2022)

    Music

  30. Richard Wagner - Die Götterdämmerung - Bayreuther Festspiele 2022

    Music

  31. New Year's Concert 2022 from the Teatro La Fenice

    Music

  32. 2021

    Wagner - Das Rheingold (Deutsche Oper Berlin)

    Music

  33. Yo, Diablo

    Music

  34. Der fliegende Holländer

    Original Music Composer

  35. Radio France Choir and Orchestra Poulenc, Wagner, Debussy & Fauré

    Original Music Composer

  36. 2020

    The Infinite Confinement

    Music

  37. The Metropolitan Opera: The Flying Dutchman

    Original Music Composer

2010s

  1. 2019

    Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  2. Die Walküre - Metropolitan Opera

    Original Music Composer

  3. Götterdämmerung - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  4. 2018

    Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  5. The Binocle

    Original Music Composer

  6. Lohengrin

    Original Music Composer

  7. Parsifal - Bayerische Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  8. Lohengrin

    Original Music Composer

  9. Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  10. The Flying Dutchman: Teatro Real Madrid

    Music

  11. 2017

    The Opera House

    Music

  12. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Original Music Composer

  13. Götterdämmerung - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  14. Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg - Bayerische Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  15. Parsifal - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  16. Wagner: Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  17. La Petite mort

    Music

  18. 2016

    Tristan und Isolde - Metropolitan Opera

    Original Music Composer

  19. The Ring of the Nibelung: Twilight of the Gods

    Original Music Composer

  20. The Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  21. The Ring of the Nibelung: The Valkyrie

    Original Music Composer

  22. The Ring of the Nibelung: The Rhinegold

    Original Music Composer

  23. Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  24. Richard Wagner - Lohengrin

    Original Music Composer

  25. Lohengrin - Semperoper Dresden

    Original Music Composer

  26. Roger D'Astous

    Music

  27. Das Liebesverbot

    Original Music Composer

  28. Das Rheingold - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  29. Eifman Ballet: The Brothers Karamazov

    Music

  30. 2015

    Tristan Und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  31. The Metropolitan Opera: Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  32. Die Walküre - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  33. Parsifal - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  34. Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  35. This is Opera

    Music

  36. Der fliegende Holländer - Royal Opera House

    Original Music Composer

  37. Tristan und Isolde - Wiener Staatsoper

    Original Music Composer

  38. 2014

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Metropolitan Opera

    Original Music Composer

  39. Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  40. Siegfried - De Nationale Opera

    Original Music Composer

  41. Die Walküre - De Nationale Opera

    Original Music Composer

  42. Das Rheingold - De Nationale Opera

    Original Music Composer

  43. Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  44. Byeway

    Original Music Composer

  45. Götterdämmerung - De Nationale Opera Amsterdam

    Original Music Composer

  46. Wagner: Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  47. 2013

    Wagner: Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  48. Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  49. Parsifal - Salzburger Osterfestspiele

    Original Music Composer

  50. Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Teatro alla Scala

    Original Music Composer

  51. Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  52. 2012

    Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Original Music Composer

  53. Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  54. 2011

    Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  55. Lohengrin

    Original Music Composer

  56. The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  57. Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  58. 2010

    Wagner: Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  59. Wagner: Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  60. Wagner: Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  61. Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  62. Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen

    Original Music Composer

  63. Der fliegende Holländer

    Original Music Composer

2000s

  1. 2009

    Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  2. Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  3. 2008

    Die Walküre

    Music

  4. Lohengrin: Bayreuth Festival Opera

    Music

  5. The Met - Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  6. 2007

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  7. Proust ou les Intermittences du cœur

    Music

  8. Wagner: Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  9. 2006

    A View from Space With Heavenly Music

    Music

  10. Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  11. Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  12. Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  13. Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  14. 2005

    Parsifal

    Music

  15. 2004

    Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  16. Three Leaders

    Original Music Composer

  17. Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  18. Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  19. Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  20. 2003

    Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  21. 2000

    Lider

    Music

  22. Tannhäuser

    Music

1990s

  1. 1999

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  2. The Man Who Would Be Kubrick

    Music

  3. Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Music

  4. 1998

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  5. 1995

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  6. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Original Music Composer

  7. 1994

    Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  8. 1993

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  9. Manhattan Murder Mystery

    Music

    77

  10. Richard Wagner: Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

  11. 1992

    The Ring Cycle: Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  12. The Ring Cycle: Die Walkure

    Original Music Composer

  13. 1991

    The Ring Cycle: Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  14. The Ring Cycle: Gotterdammerung

    Original Music Composer

  15. 1990

    Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  16. Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  17. Siegfried

    Original Music Composer

  18. Lohengrin

    Original Music Composer

1980s

  1. 1989

    Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

  2. 1988

    Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Music

  3. 1986

    Lohengrin - Metropolitan Opera

    Original Music Composer

  4. 1985

    Der fliegende Holländer

    Original Music Composer

  5. 1984

    Agi, the Fury of Evil

    Music

  6. 1983

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  7. 1982

    The Metropolitan Opera - Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Original Music Composer

  8. Zizi

    Music

  9. Deer Hunting

    Music

  10. Parsifal

    Original Music Composer

    73
  11. 1980

    Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  12. Wagner: Götterdämmerung

    Original Music Composer

  13. Siegfried - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Original Music Composer

  14. Wagner: Die Walküre

    Original Music Composer

1970s

  1. 1979

    Nosferatu the Vampyre

    Music

    78
  2. 1978

    Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle

    Original Music Composer

  3. Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Original Music Composer

  4. 1977

    Adolf and Marlene

    Original Music Composer

  5. The Greatest Love of All Time

    Music

  6. 1975

    Her Return

    Music

  7. Der Fliegende Holländer

    Original Music Composer

  8. 1973

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  9. Ludwig

    Music

  10. 1972

    Ludwig – Requiem for a Virgin King

    Music

  11. 1971

    The Fifteenth Spring

    Music

1960s

  1. 1967

    Tristan und Isolde

    Original Music Composer

  2. 1966

    The Little Chaos

    Music

  3. Ming Green

    Music

  4. Patriotism

    Music

  5. 1965

    One Man Band

    Music

  6. 1964

    The Flying Dutchman

    Music

  7. 1963

    To Parsifal

    Music

1950s

  1. 1959

    The Clock Stopped at Midnight

    Music

  2. 1955

    Ludwig II

    Music

  3. 1951

    Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 7: Wagner

    Original Music Composer

  4. The Evil Forest

    Original Music Composer

1940s

  1. 1948

    Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 4: Mozart, Dvorak, Wagner

    Original Music Composer

  2. Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 1: Wagner

    Original Music Composer

  3. 1944

    Veinticuatro horas en la vida de una mujer

    Music

  4. La verdadera victoria

    Original Music Composer

No release date

  1. Green Scream

    Music

  2. A Corpse in Kensington

    Songs

Wrote 138

2020s

  1. 2027

    The Metropolitan Opera 2026/27: Parsifal

    Writer

  2. 2026

    Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold @ Salzburg Easter Festival, Felsenreitschule 2026

    Opera

  3. Rienzi - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Writer

  4. Der fliegende Holländer - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  5. Richard Wagner: Lohengrin @ Baden-Baden Easter Festival 2026

    Opera

  6. Wagner: Siegfried - Royal Ballet House

    Writer

  7. The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  8. 2025

    Planet Arium

    Writer

  9. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Bayreuth Festival 2025

    Writer

  10. Tannhäuser - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  11. Wagner: Die Walküre - Royal Opera House

    Writer

  12. Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  13. 2024

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  14. Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  15. Siegfried

    Writer

  16. Die Walküre

    Writer

  17. Das Rheingold

    Writer

  18. Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  19. 2023

    Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Writer

  20. Wagner: Das Rheingold - Royal Opera House

    Writer

  21. Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin

    Writer

  22. Richard Wagner: Die Walküre - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin

    Writer

  23. 2022

    Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin

    Writer

  24. First Last Man

    Adaptation

  25. 2021

    Parsifal

    Writer

  26. Wagner - Das Rheingold (Deutsche Oper Berlin)

    Lyricist

  27. Der fliegende Holländer

    Writer

  28. 2020

    Lohengrin

    Writer

  29. The Metropolitan Opera: The Flying Dutchman

    Writer

2010s

  1. 2019

    Tannhäuser

    Writer

  2. Die Walküre - Metropolitan Opera

    Writer

  3. Götterdämmerung - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  4. 2018

    Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  5. Lohengrin

    Writer

  6. Parsifal - Bayerische Staatsoper

    Writer

  7. Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  8. The Flying Dutchman: Teatro Real Madrid

    Writer

  9. 2017

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Writer

  10. Götterdämmerung - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  11. Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg - Bayerische Staatsoper

    Writer

  12. Parsifal - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  13. 2016

    Gott liebt ein menschliches Weib

    Idea

  14. Tristan und Isolde - Metropolitan Opera

    Writer

  15. The Ring of the Nibelung: Twilight of the Gods

    Writer

  16. The Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried

    Writer

  17. The Ring of the Nibelung: The Valkyrie

    Writer

  18. The Ring of the Nibelung: The Rhinegold

    Writer

  19. Parsifal

    Writer

  20. Lohengrin - Semperoper Dresden

    Writer

  21. Das Liebesverbot

    Writer

  22. Das Rheingold - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  23. 2015

    Tristan Und Isolde

    Writer

  24. The Metropolitan Opera: Tannhäuser

    Writer

  25. Die Walküre - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  26. Parsifal - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  27. Parsifal

    Writer

  28. Der fliegende Holländer - Royal Opera House

    Writer

  29. Tristan und Isolde - Wiener Staatsoper

    Writer

  30. 2014

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Metropolitan Opera

    Writer

  31. Tannhäuser

    Writer

  32. Siegfried - De Nationale Opera

    Writer

  33. Die Walküre - De Nationale Opera

    Writer

  34. Das Rheingold - De Nationale Opera

    Writer

  35. Tannhäuser

    Writer

  36. Götterdämmerung - De Nationale Opera Amsterdam

    Writer

  37. Wagner: Siegfried

    Writer

  38. 2013

    Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Tetralogie an einem Abend mit Marionetten und Menschen

    Writer

  39. Parsifal - Salzburger Osterfestspiele

    Writer

  40. Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Teatro alla Scala

    Writer

  41. Parsifal

    Writer

  42. 2012

    Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Writer

  43. Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Writer

  44. Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  45. 2011

    Siegfried

    Writer

  46. Lohengrin

    Writer

  47. Parsifal

    Writer

  48. The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre

    Writer

  49. Parsifal

    Writer

  50. 2010

    Wagner: Siegfried

    Writer

  51. Das Rheingold

    Writer

  52. Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen

    Writer

2000s

  1. 2009

    Wagner - Lohengrin

    Writer

  2. Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Writer

  3. Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  4. 2008

    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Writer

  5. Die Walküre

    Writer

  6. Lohengrin: Bayreuth Festival Opera

    Writer

  7. The Met - Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  8. 2007

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  9. 2006

    Lohengrin

    Writer

  10. Das Rheingold

    Writer

  11. Die Walküre

    Writer

  12. Siegfried

    Writer

  13. Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  14. Lohengrin

    Writer

  15. 2005

    Parsifal

    Writer

  16. 2004

    Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Writer

  17. Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  18. Die Walküre

    Writer

  19. Siegfried

    Writer

  20. 2003

    Das Rheingold

    Writer

  21. 2001

    Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg

    Writer

  22. 2000

    Tannhäuser

    Writer

1990s

  1. 1999

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  2. Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Writer

  3. 1998

    Parsifal: The Search for the Grail

    Writer

  4. Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  5. 1995

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  6. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Writer

  7. 1993

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  8. Richard Wagner: Parsifal

    Writer

  9. 1992

    The Ring Cycle: Siegfried

    Writer

  10. The Ring Cycle: Die Walkure

    Writer

  11. 1991

    The Ring Cycle: Das Rheingold

    Writer

  12. The Ring Cycle: Gotterdammerung

    Writer

  13. 1990

    Götterdämmerung

    Writer

  14. Das Rheingold

    Writer

  15. Siegfried

    Writer

  16. Lohengrin

    Writer

1980s

  1. 1989

    Die Walküre

    Writer

  2. 1988

    Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

    Writer

  3. 1986

    Lohengrin - Metropolitan Opera

    Writer

  4. 1985

    Der fliegende Holländer

    Writer

  5. 1983

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  6. 1982

    The Metropolitan Opera - Wagner: Tannhäuser

    Writer

  7. Parsifal

    Writer

    73
  8. 1981

    Wagner - Tristan Und Isolde

    Writer

  9. 1980

    Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Writer

  10. Wagner: Die Walküre

    Writer

  11. Siegfried - Bayreuther Festspiele

    Writer

  12. Wagner: Götterdämmerung

    Writer

1970s

  1. 1978

    Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle

    Writer

  2. Wagner: Das Rheingold

    Writer

  3. 1971

    Great Performances

    Writer

    74

1960s

  1. 1967

    Tristan und Isolde

    Writer

  2. 1964

    The Flying Dutchman

    Original Story

1950s

  1. 1951

    The Evil Forest

    Original Story

1910s

  1. 1913

    Tannhäuser

    Opera, Story

Other crew 4

2020s

  1. 2023

    Wagner's Ring Without Words Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra

    Compositor

2010s

  1. 2012

    Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti

    Script

1980s

  1. 1981

    Wagner - Tristan Und Isolde

    Compositor

1940s

  1. 1948

    Romantici a Venezia

    Poem

Created 2

2020s

  1. 2024

    Der Ring des Nibelungen

    Creator

Acted in 1

2000s

  1. 2007

    Europa Concert 2007

    Composer