Tristan and Isolde: Wagner between genius and anti -Semitism in Lübeck
Tristan and Isolde: Wagner between genius and anti -Semitism in Lübeck
On Sunday, February 2, 2025, the Theater Lübeck celebrates the premiere of Richard Wagner's famous opera "Tristan and Isolde". The director Stephen Lawless directs and brings a staging to the stage, which focuses on both the genius and the controversial aspects of Wagner's work. Despite his deep personal connection to Wagner's music, as Lawless admits, he does not want to meet the composer himself, he describes in an interview. "Wagner rehabilitated the work of art," says Lawless, realizing that Wagner's influence on art is undeniable, even if it is considered complex and often problematic figure.
The controversy around Wagner is initiated by its anti -Semitic statements, which can be found not only in his music, but also in his writings, such as the pamphlet "JudaThum in music". This writing is an important basis for modern anti-Semitic discourses and is still intensively discussed in Wagner research today. wikipedia shows that Wagner sees a gap between Jews and Christianity in his writings and critically questioned this influence on European religious and cultural history.
Financial support and the success of the audience
The Lübeck Theater Foundation supports the production with 25,000 euros, some of a total of 185,000 euros, which were donated to theater productions and symphony concerts. Wagner's operas also enjoyed a special popularity in the past season in 2022/23; Six of his works were among the 20 most popular operas on German stages.
The tensions about Wagner's inheritance in today's society are not only a challenge for artists such as Lawless, but also for the audience. Thomas Mann positioned Wagner in a lecture near Sigmund Freud and described him as a multi -layered figure. This reflects that Wagner is celebrated as a master of music and criticized because of his questionable views.
Hitler's influence and the cultural meaning
Wagner was Hitler's favorite composer and his works played a central role in the National Socialist Culture. Historians point out that there is no documented evidence that Hitler regarded Wagner's anti -Semitism as an ideological basis in his rule. Nevertheless, Wagner's worship was shaped by Hitler and the associated misuse of his works during the Nazi era for many of complexity and contradiction.
In view of Wagner's entanglement in anti -Semitic ideologies, his music remains controversial in certain circles, as in Israel. The Federal Center for Political Education emphasizes that Wagner's anti-Semitism, which in his biography is over for six decades, is decisive for the perception of his works in modern times. This complex relationship between art and ideology raises questions that deal with experts and those interested in culture alike. In view of these confrontations, the city of Lübeck decided to continue to name Richard-Wagner-Straße, while Pfitznerstrasse was renamed, which reflects the continued debate about Wagner's legacy and its cultural effect.The upcoming staging of "Tristan and Isolde" gives the audience the opportunity to actively experience this multifaceted discussion while they indulge in the suction of Wagner's music.
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| Ort | Lübeck, Deutschland |
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