
Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera
From Classical Breakdown by WETA Classical
March 31, 2026 · 1h 19m
About this episode
The episode explores Richard Wagner's tumultuous life and his significant impact on opera.
This composer's life was tumultuous and sometimes straight out of a soap opera. John Banther and Evan Keely explore what led him to opera, his initial success and failures, his bigoted "Judaism in Music" essay, and how his Ring Cycle changed everything.
People in this episode
Host: John Banther
Topics covered
- Richard Wagner
- opera
- music history
- biography
Keywords
- Wagner
- Ring Cycle
- Judaism in Music
- opera history
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Judaism in Music, Ring Cycle
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