Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner reshaped opera into what he called music drama, vast works such as the four-opera Ring cycle that fused music, story, and staging. He built a dedicated theatre at Bayreuth and opened his own festival there in 1876 to present the Ring. His influence on later music was immense. He was also the author of antisemitic essays, notably Jewishness in Music, and his work was later embraced by the Nazi regime, a link that still shadows his legacy.