Definition

Proper noun: - German composer and theatrical innovator: Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a 19th-century German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is primarily known for his operas (or "music dramas"). He revolutionized opera by aiming for a synthesis of all the arts—music, poetry, drama, and visual spectacle—into a unified work, a concept he termed Gesamtkunstwerk.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The music of Wilhelm Richard Wagner is known for its complex leitmotifs and rich orchestration.
  • Many consider Wilhelm Richard Wagner one of the most influential and controversial figures in Western music history.

Advanced Usage

• "Wagnerian" (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the music, style, or dramatic theories of Wilhelm Richard Wagner; often implies something epic, grandiose, or intensely emotional.
  • The film's score had a distinctly Wagnerian quality, with sweeping themes and powerful brass sections.

Variants and Related Words

• Wagner (n): The common shortened form of the name Wilhelm Richard Wagner, used to refer to the composer or his works.
  • The festival is dedicated to the works of Wagner.
• Wagnerian (n): An admirer or a scholar of Wilhelm Richard Wagner's works.
  • The conference was attended by Wagnerians from around the world.

Synonyms

• Composer: A person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation.
• Opera composer: A composer who specializes in writing operas.

Related Phrases

• "Ring Cycle": Common shorthand for Wagner's epic cycle of four operas, ().
  • Performing the complete Ring Cycle is a monumental undertaking for any opera company.
• "Bayreuth Festival": The annual music festival in Bayreuth, Germany, dedicated exclusively to the performance of Wagner's operas, founded by the composer himself.
  • She secured tickets to the Bayreuth Festival, a lifelong dream for any Wagner enthusiast.

Noun

1. German composer of operas and inventor of the musical drama in which drama and spectacle and music are fused (1813-1883)