Profile Text
Birth Name: Wilhelm Richard Wagner
Date of Birth: 22 May, 1813
Place of Birth: Leipzig, Saxony, Confederation of the Rhine, Germany
Date of Death: 13 February, 1883
Place of Death: Venice, Italy
Ethnicity: German
Richard Wagner was a German composer, theatre director, writer, essayist, and conductor. He is known for his operas/music dramas, including Leubald , Die Laune des Verliebten , Die Hochzeit , Die Feen , Das Liebesverbot , Männerlist größer als Frauenlist, oder Die glückliche Bärenfamilie ; Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen ; Der fliegende Holländer , Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg , Lohengrin , Wieland der Schmied , Das Rheingold , Die Walküre , Tristan und Isolde , Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg , Siegfried , Götterdämmerung , and Parsifal . Das Rheingold , Die Walküre , Siegfried , and Götterdämmerung combine into his Der Ring des Nibelungen / The Ring cycle . He wrote both the libretti and the music for his works. He developed a distinctive style that unified music, poetry, and stagecraft, and introduced structural innovations, such as the extensive use of leitmotifs; recurring musical themes associated with specific characters or concepts. He established the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, a theatre built specifically to stage his compositions.
Richard was the son of Johanna Rosine Wagner and Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Wagner, who was a clerk at the Leipzig police service. His mother was from Weißenfels, Saxony. After his father’s death later in the year of Richard’s birth, his mother re-married to painter, poet, and actor Ludwig Geyer. Richard was baptized a Lutheran. He was partly raised in Dresden.
Richard was married to actress and musical figure Minna Planer (Christine Wilhelmine Planer), until her death; and then to businessperson, opera director, and classical music figure Cosima Wagner (born Francesca Gaetana Cosima Liszt), until his death. Cosima was the daughter of Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt. Richard and Cosima had three children, Isolde Beidler, Eva Chamberlain, and composer and conductor Siegfried Wagner. Isolde was married to Swiss-born conductor Franz Beidler. Eva was married to British-German-French philosopher Houston Stewart Chamberlain. Richard was the grandfather of opera director Wieland Wagner, Friedelind Wagner, opera director Wolfgang Wagner, and Verena Wagner Lafferentz; and the great-grandfather of dramaturge, arts administrator, and author Nike Wagner.
Richard’s paternal grandfather was Gottlieb/Gottlob Friedrich Wagner (the son of Samuel Wagner and Anna Sophia Rössig/Roessig). Gottlieb was born in Mueglenz, Leipzich, Saxony. Samuel was born in Müglenz, Leipzig, the son of Emanuel Wagner and Anna Bennewitz. Richard’s great-grandmother Anna was the daughter of Johann Christoph Roessig and Maria.
Richard’s paternal grandmother was Johanna Sophie Eichel (the daughter Gottlob Friedrich Eichel and Maria Sophia Boeckel). Johanna was born in Leipzig. Gottlob was born in Leipzig, the son of Andrea Eichel and Maria E. Thamm.
Richard’s maternal grandfather was named Johann Gottlob Pätz/Päetz. Johann was born in Weißenfels, Neustadt/Wied, Neuwied, Rhineland, Prussia, and was a baker.
Richard’s maternal grandmother was Dorothea Erdmuth/Erdmuntha Iglisch (the daughter of Johann Gottfried Iglisch and Maria Rosina Nägler). Dorothea was born in Weissenfels, Merseburg, Saxony. Maria was born in Weissenfels, the daughter of Johann Wilhelm Naegler and Marie Rosine Schnetter.
Sources: Genealogies of Richard Wagner – https://gw.geneanet.org https://www.findagrave.com https://www.geni.com