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 Richard Wagner 200th Anniversary of Birth Scott 1538 (2013) In 2013, Vatican City issued two stamps honoring the bicentennials of the births of two great 19th century composers: Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. The stamp for Richard Wagner is shown above, and at the bottom of the article is the six-stamp minisheet released in his honor. Richard Wagner was born on May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. He was a composer, theatre director, and conductor. Known for his operas, including "Parsival", "Tristan and Isolde" and "Tannhauser", Wagner wrote both the libretto (lyrics) and the music for his works. He took an interest in all aspects of his productions, a concept known as "total art", for in addition to the music and lyrics, Wagner also considered the architectural, scenic and choreographic elements of his presentations. Perhaps his most acclaimed opera is "Der Ring des Nibelungen" (The Ring of the Nibelung). Wagner's life was not without conflict and controversy. In the 1840's, he became involved in left-wing politics and was active among socialist German nationalists. In 1849, an unsuccessful uprising broke out, in which Wagner played a minor supporting role. Warrants were issued for the arrest of the revolutionaries, and Wagner fled the country and lived in exile until 1862. During this time he was often in debt and experienced financial difficulties.  Wagner Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Bavaria, ca. 1895 Photochrom print by Photoglob Zürich, between 1890 and 1900 From Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain In his later years, Wagner gained the support of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and he was able to focus on his music and creative works. In 1871, Wagner moved to Bayreuth in northern Bavaria. There he built the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, an opera house which included many novel design features. This site continues to serve as the venue for the Bayreuth Festival, where Wagner's operas are presented each year. The festival is administered and run by his descendants. Wagner died in Venice in 1883.  Richard Wagner 200th Anniversary of Birth Minisheet, Scott 1538M (2013) REFERENCES: |
