Photo: Franz Hanfstaengl / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Writing about Richard Wagner feels almost presumptuous; he operates on a different scale entirely. Born in Leipzig in 1813 and educated at its university, he didn't just compose operas, he reinvented the form into what we call music drama, fusing story, philosophy, and sound into vast unified worlds like Tristan und Isolde and the Ring cycle. The detail that always stops me is that he wrote both the libretti and the music himself, which almost no one attempts. What draws me in is the paradox: a deeply divisive figure whose influence is impossible to escape, reaching into later concert music and film scoring alike. The sheer obsessive will, down to building his own theatre, leaves me genuinely awed.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Richard Wagner
- Name (Japanese)
- リヒャルト・ワーグナー
- Reading
- りひゃると・わーぐなー
- Born
- May 22, 1813 – February 13, 1883
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony
- Occupation
- composer / librettist / conductor / essayist / theatre director
2. Background
- University
- Leipzig University
Awards & achievements
- 1873 Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Flying Dutchman | — | |
| Notable work | Tristan und Isolde | — | |
| Notable work | Tannhäuser | — | |
| Notable work | Das Rheingold | — | |
| Notable work | Lohengrin | — | |
| Notable work | Der Ring des Nibelungen | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Richard Wagner born?
May 22, 1813 – February 13, 1883.
Where is Richard Wagner from?
Richard Wagner is from Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony.
What does Richard Wagner do?
Richard Wagner works as composer, librettist, conductor, essayist, theatre director.
What is Richard Wagner known for?
Notable works include The Flying Dutchman, Tristan und Isolde, Tannhäuser.
Composer — see all → · Librettist — see all → · More people from Electorate of Saxony →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.