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Article: 'Ring' shows genius side of controversial composer.(Time Out!)(Classical music)
- Article from:
- Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
- Article date:
- March 18, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Paddock Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Bill Gowen
Although his personal life was nothing to brag about, Richard Wagner is one of the great musical geniuses.
Yes, Wagner (1813-83) was a womanizer, ruthless businessman and anti-Semite, with his already shaky personal reputation taking a dive during World War II when Adolf Hitler made Wagner the Third Reich's "house" composer.
But when Wagner put pen to paper, he created a body of work that remains a cornerstone of Western art. He was a genius with warts, but a genius nonetheless.
Hopefully, thoughts of the "bad" Wagner will be put aside for three weeks starting March 28 when his monumental four-opera cycle, "Der Ring ...