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).
| 2026 | The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2025 | Tannhäuser - Wiener Staatsoper - Original Music Composer |
| 2025 | Tannhäuser - Wiener Staatsoper - Writer |
| 2025 | Royal Ballet & Opera 2024/25: Die Walküre - Music |
| 2024 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2024 | Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 2024 | Siegfried - Writer |
| 2024 | Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2024 | Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2024 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2024 | Alain Altinoglu et Stéphane Degout Festival international de Colmar 2024 - Original Music Composer |
| 2023 | Echo Sonata - Music |
| 2023 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2023 | Wagner's Ring Without Words Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra - Compositor |
| 2023 | Royal Opera House 2023/24: Das Rheingold - Lyricist |
| 2023 | Royal Opera House 2023/24: Das Rheingold - Music |
| 2023 | Royal Opera House 2023/24: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2023 | Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin - Writer |
| 2023 | Richard Wagner: Die Walküre - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin - Writer |
| 2023 | Richard Wagner: "Parsifal" Bayreuther Festspiele 2023 - Music |
| 2023 | Tristan und Isolde - Music |
| 2023 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2023 | Maledictis - Music |
| 2022 | Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold - Aus der Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin - Writer |
| 2022 | Jumalten keinussa - Music |
| 2022 | Siegfried (Longborough Opera Festival 2022) - Music |
| 2022 | Richard Wagner - Die Götterdämmerung - Bayreuther Festspiele 2022 - Music |
| 2022 | First Last Man - Adaptation |
| 2022 | Neujahrskonzert 2022 aus dem Teatro La Fenice - Music |
| 2021 | Parsifal a l'Opera de Vienne - Writer |
| 2021 | Wagner - Das Rheingold (Deutsche Oper Berlin) - Lyricist |
| 2021 | Wagner - Das Rheingold (Deutsche Oper Berlin) - Music |
| 2021 | Yo, Diablo - Music |
| 2021 | Le Choeur de Radio France interprète Poulenc, Wagner, Debussy et Fauré - Original Music Composer |
| 2020 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 2020 | El confinamiento infinito - Music |
| 2020 | The Metropolitan Opera: Der Fliegende Holländer - Lyricist |
| 2020 | The Metropolitan Opera: Der Fliegende Holländer - Music |
| 2019 | The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2019 | The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2018 | Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 2018 | Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2018 | De Binocle - Original Music Composer |
| 2018 | Lohengrin - Original Music Composer |
| 2018 | The Flying Dutchman: Teatro Real Madrid - Music |
| 2018 | The Flying Dutchman: Teatro Real Madrid - Writer |
| 2017 | The Opera House - Music |
| 2017 | Wagner: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2017 | La Petite mort - Music |
| 2017 | Wagner: Parsifal - Lyricist |
| 2017 | Wagner: Parsifal - Music |
| 2017 | Wagner: Parsifal - Songs |
| 2016 | Gott liebt ein menschliches Weib - Idea |
| 2016 | The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 2016 | The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Götterdämmerung - Music |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Siegfried - Music |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Siegfried - Writer |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Walküre - Music |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2016 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2016 | Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Music |
| 2016 | Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2016 | Richard Wagner - Lohengrin - Original Music Composer |
| 2016 | Roger D'Astous - Music |
| 2016 | Das Liebesverbot - Original Music Composer |
| 2016 | Das Liebesverbot - Writer |
| 2016 | Эйфман Балет: Братья Карамазовы - Music |
| 2015 | Wagner: Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 2015 | Wagner: Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 2015 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 2015 | Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer - Writer |
| 2014 | The Metropolitan Opera: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Compositor |
| 2014 | The Metropolitan Opera: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 2014 | Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 2014 | Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 2014 | Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 2014 | Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 2014 | Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 2014 | Dál nic - Original Music Composer |
| 2014 | Wagner: Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 2014 | Wagner: Siegfried - Writer |
| 2013 | Wagner: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2013 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 2013 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Tetralogie an einem Abend mit Marionetten und Menschen - Writer |
| 2013 | Parsifal live at the Salzburg Easter Festival - Writer |
| 2013 | Hitler und der Wagner Clan - Music |
| 2013 | The Metropolitan Opera: Das Rheingold - Opera |
| 2013 | Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 2013 | Parsifal - Writer |
| 2012 | Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti - Script |
| 2012 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Original Music Composer |
| 2012 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 2012 | WAGNER: TANNHÄUSER - Writer |
| 2012 | The Metropolitan Opera: Götterdämmerung - Opera |
| 2011 | The Metropolitan Opera: Siegfried - Opera |
| 2011 | The Metropolitan Opera: Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 2011 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 2011 | Parsifal - Writer |
| 2011 | The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre - Opera |
| 2011 | Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 2011 | Parsifal - Writer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Siegfried - Writer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 2010 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2010 | Der fliegende Holländer - Original Music Composer |
| 2009 | Wagner: Lohengrin - Writer |
| 2009 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 2009 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2009 | Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 2009 | Tristan Und Isolde - Writer |
| 2008 | Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 2008 | Die Walküre - Music |
| 2008 | Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2008 | Lohengrin - Bayreuther Festspiel - Music |
| 2008 | Lohengrin - Bayreuther Festspiel - Writer |
| 2008 | The Met - Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 2008 | The Met - Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2007 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 2007 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 2007 | Proust ou les Intermittences du cœur - Music |
| 2007 | Wagner Die Walküre - Screenplay |
| 2007 | Wagner: Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 2006 | A View from Space With Heavenly Music - Music |
| 2006 | Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 2006 | Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2006 | Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2006 | Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 2006 | Siegfried - Writer |
| 2006 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 2005 | Parsifal - Music |
| 2005 | Parsifal - Writer |
| 2004 | Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 2004 | Три вождя - Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 2004 | Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Die Walküre - Writer |
| 2004 | Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 2004 | Siegfried - Writer |
| 2003 | Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 2003 | Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 2001 | Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 2000 | Лідер - Music |
| 2000 | Tannhäuser - Music |
| 2000 | Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 1999 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1999 | The Man Who Would Be Kubrick - Music |
| 1999 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Music |
| 1999 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 1998 | Parsifal: The Search for the Grail - Writer |
| 1998 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1998 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 1995 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1995 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 1995 | Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Original Music Composer |
| 1995 | Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 1993 | Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 1993 | Gizemli Manhattan Cinayeti - Music |
| 1993 | Richard Wagner: Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 1993 | Richard Wagner: Parsifal - Writer |
| 1992 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 1992 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Siegfried - Writer |
| 1992 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 1992 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Die Walküre - Writer |
| 1992 | Der fliegende Holländer - Original Music Composer |
| 1991 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 1991 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 1991 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 1991 | Der Ring des Nibelungen: Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 1990 | Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 1990 | Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 1990 | Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 1990 | Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 1990 | Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 1990 | Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 1990 | Die Walküre - Writer |
| 1990 | Siegfried - Writer |
| 1990 | Lohengrin - Original Music Composer |
| 1990 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 1989 | Frau Berta Garlan - Music |
| 1988 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Music |
| 1988 | Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Writer |
| 1986 | Luis Buñuel: constructor de infiernos - Music |
| 1986 | Lohengrin - Original Music Composer |
| 1986 | Lohengrin - Writer |
| 1985 | Der fliegende Holländer - Original Music Composer |
| 1985 | Der fliegende Holländer - Writer |
| 1984 | アギ・鬼神の怒り - Music |
| 1983 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1983 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 1982 | The Metropolitan Opera - Wagner: Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 1982 | The Metropolitan Opera - Wagner: Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 1982 | Zizi - Music |
| 1982 | Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 1982 | Parsifal - Writer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Die Walküre - Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Siegfried - Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Die Walküre - Writer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Writer |
| 1980 | Wagner: Siegfried - Writer |
| 1979 | Vampir Nosferatu - Music |
| 1978 | Tannhäuser - Original Music Composer |
| 1978 | Tannhäuser - Writer |
| 1978 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Original Music Composer |
| 1978 | Wagner: Das Rheingold - Writer |
| 1977 | L'amour monstre de tous les temps - Music |
| 1975 | Jej powrót - Music |
| 1975 | Der Fliegende Holländer - Original Music Composer |
| 1973 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1973 | Ludwig - Music |
| 1972 | Ludwig - Requiem für einen jungfräulichen König - Music |
| 1970 | Tristan und Isolde - Music |
| 1967 | Tristan und Isolde - Original Music Composer |
| 1967 | Tristan und Isolde - Writer |
| 1966 | Das kleine Chaos - Music |
| 1966 | Ming Green - Music |
| 1966 | 憂國 - Music |
| 1965 | One Man Band - Music |
| 1964 | Der fliegende Holländer - Music |
| 1964 | Der fliegende Holländer - Original Story |
| 1955 | Ludwig II: Glanz und Ende eines Königs - Music |
| 1951 | Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 7: Wagner - Original Music Composer |
| 1951 | Parsifal - Original Music Composer |
| 1951 | Parsifal - Original Story |
| 1948 | Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 4: Mozart, Dvorak, Wagner - Original Music Composer |
| 1948 | Toscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 1: Wagner - Original Music Composer |
| 1948 | Romantici a Venezia - Poem |
| 1944 | Veinticuatro horas en la vida de una mujer - Music |
| 1944 | La verdadera victoria - Original Music Composer |
| 1913 | Tannhäuser - Opera |
| 1913 | Tannhäuser - Story |
| 1909 | Lohengrin - Music |
| Green Scream - Music |
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