Richard Wagner.

Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner — Composer

Born 22 May 1813 Leipzig, Germany

Died 13 Feb 1883 Venice, Italy

Citizenship Germany

7 min read

Reading time

1,348

Words

Mar 3, 2026

Published

1

Film credit

100

Books

1

Award

TL;DR

Richard Wagner, born in 1813 in Leipzig, created the four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. His concept of Gesamtkunstwerk unified opera, ballet, and visual arts. Operas like Tristan und Isolde and Die Walküre remain staples of the repertoire. He died in Venice in 1883.

Identity & family.

KIN · 11

Names, aliases, and relatives of Richard Wagner — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Nicknames The Old Sorcerer

Aliases Komponisten, R. Vagner, Ricardo Wagner, Wagner, the composer

PARENTS: Johanna Rosina Wagner Geyer Carl Friedrich Wagner
SPOUSES: Cosima Wagner Christine Wilhelmine Planer
CHILDREN: Siegfried Wagner Isolde Wagner
SIBLINGS: Rosalie Wagner Ottilie Brockhaus Louise Wagner Cäcilie Avenarius Albert Wagner

At a glance.

STATS

Richard Wagner by the numbers — life, work, and family.

69 Years lived

1 Film credit

100 Books

1 Award

2 Marriages

2 Children

Who was Richard Wagner?

BIOGRAPHY

Richard Wagner — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

May 22, 1813 marked the birth of Richard Wagner in Leipzig, the ninth child of Carl Friedrich Wagner and Johanna Rosina. His father died when he was six months old, and his mother married actor Ludwig Geyer, who raised young Richard. At age 15, he transcribed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for piano and composed his own works. He studied at the University of Leipzig and took composition lessons with the cantor of St. Thomas.

Career

Wagner’s early opera Rienzi achieved acclaim at the Dresden Court Theatre in 1842, leading to his appointment as Royal Saxon Court Conductor. He completed Der fliegende Holländer and Tannhäuser next. After the 1848 revolution, Wagner fled to Switzerland and wrote essays outlining his concept of Gesamtkunstwerk. Between 1853 and 1854 he composed Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, followed by Tristan und Isolde 1857–1859. King Ludwig II of Bavaria patronized Wagner; Tristan premiered in Munich in 1865. Wagner moved to Bayreuth in 1872, and the Festspielhaus opened in 1876 with the premiere of the complete Ring cycle.

Personal life

Wagner married singer Christine Wilhelmine Planer in 1836; they separated due to her extramarital affairs and mounting debts. In 1865, he began an affair with Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Franz Liszt and wife of conductor Hans von Bülow. Their daughter Isolde was born in 1865. Wagner married Cosima in August 1870, and they had three children: Isolde, Eva, and Siegfried. The family lived at Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth from 1874.

Legacy

Wagner’s Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, designed specifically for his operas, opened in 1876 and continues to host annual festivals. His use of leitmotifs and the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk influenced later composers. The Wagner Museum in Lucerne, Switzerland, preserves his family’s artifacts and documents their assistance to Jewish musicians fleeing the Nazi regime in the 1930s. Wagner’s four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen remains his most famous work.

Filmography.

FILMS · 1

Browse the complete filmography of Richard Wagner — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

Movie

Lohengrin

2019

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 1

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Richard Wagner — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 100

Richard Wagner's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon

Der Ritt Der Walkuren

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Richard Wagner üBer Tristan Und Isolde

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Overture to Tannhauser

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Meistersinger Von Nürnberg

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Lohengrin

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

Letters of Richard Wagner

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Literary Works

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

The Flying Dutchman Overture

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

Art Life and Theories of Richard Wagner

by Richard Wagner et al.
Amazon

Operas

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

Beethoven

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

ÜBer Das Dirigieren

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt

by Richard Wagner
Amazon

The Valkyrics

by E. F. Benson et al.

Could not load more books.

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 3

A wall of memorable lines from Richard Wagner — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

Attack and Defence, Want and War, Victory and Defeat, Lordship and Thralldom, All Sealed with the Seal of Blood: This from Henceforth Is the History of Man.
I Believe in God. and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven as His Only Sons.
Certain Things in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Will and Can Never Be Excelled.

Did you know?

FACTS · 9

Little-known facts about Richard Wagner — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

An opera house was designed by Wagner in Bayreuth, still in use today, specifically for his operas. The orchestra pit is covered so singers are not overpowered by the orchestra.
Wagner was a favorite composer of Adolf Hitler, who claimed to have seen Rienzi at least 40 times.
Wagner created a style of music that bears his name.
His wife Cosima was the daughter of composer Franz Liszt and ex-wife of composer Hans von Bülow. They had three children: Isolde 1865, Eva 1867, and Siegfried 1869, all born before their parents married.
Wagner once planned an opera titled Die Sieger based on Buddhist themes.
He wrote his own librettos along with music.
His official father Karl Friedrich Wagner died when he was six months old. His mother quickly married Ludwig Geyer, who may have been his biological father. He was known as Richard Geyer for the first 14 years.
Born at 4:00 am LMT.
Great-grandfather of Gottfried Wagner.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 40

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Richard Wagner.

When was Richard Wagner born?

May 22, 1813 Wilhelm Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony now Germany.
Where was Richard Wagner born?

Wagner’s birthplace is Leipzig, then part of the Kingdom of Saxony now in Germany.
When did Richard Wagner die?

He died on February 13, 1883 at age 69 in Venice, Italy.
How old was Richard Wagner when he died?

Richard Wagner was 69 years old when he died of heart failure in Venice.
Where did Richard Wagner die?

He died in Venice, Veneto, Italy while wintering there.
How did Richard Wagner die?

Wagner died of heart failure on February 13, 1883 in Venice.
What was Richard Wagner's birth name?

His birth name was Wilhelm Richard Wagner, though he was known as Richard Wagner.
What was Richard Wagner's occupation?

He worked as a composer, writer, and music crew member, primarily as an opera composer.
What nationality was Richard Wagner?

He was German by nationality.
What language did Richard Wagner speak?

His native language was German.
Who were Richard Wagner's parents?

His parents were Carl Friedrich Wagner and Johanna Rosina Wagner Geyer. His father died when he was six months old.
Who was Richard Wagner married to?

He was married to Christine Wilhelmine Planer from 1836 to 1866, and then to Cosima Wagner from 1870 until his death.
Did Richard Wagner have children?

Yes, he had three children with Cosima: Isolde 1865, Eva 1867, and Siegfried 1869.
Did Richard Wagner have siblings?

He had five siblings: Rosalie, Ottilie, Louise, Cäcilie, and Albert Wagner.
Where did Richard Wagner go to school?

He attended Kreuzschule, Thomasschule zu Leipzig, and studied at Leipzig University.
What awards did Richard Wagner win?

He received the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art.
How many major awards did Richard Wagner win?

The source mentions one major award: the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art.
What was Richard Wagner's height?

He was 5 feet 6 inches 1.66 m tall.
What nicknames did Richard Wagner have?

He was known as The Old Sorcerer, reflecting his reputation for innovative music.
What aliases did Richard Wagner use?

Aliases include Komponisten, R. Vagner, Ricardo Wagner, Wagner, and the composer.
What is Richard Wagner best known for?

Wagner’s operas, especially the four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and Tristan und Isolde, are his most famous works.
What is Wagner's most famous opera?

His most recognized work is the Ring cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, comprising four operas.
How did Wagner influence classical music?

He pioneered the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk total artwork and used leitmotifs, influencing later composers.
What is the Bayreuth Festival?

Wagner established the annual Bayreuth Festival in 1876 in Bayreuth, Germany, dedicated to performing his operas.
Who was Richard Wagner's patron?

His patron was King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who settled his debts and financed his opera productions.
What was Wagner's relationship with Franz Liszt?

Wagner married Cosima, daughter of composer Franz Liszt, making Liszt his father-in-law.
Why did Wagner flee Germany in 1849?

He fled after the 1848–49 revolution due to his political involvement, living in exile in Switzerland.
What is Gesamtkunstwerk?

A German term meaning total artwork, combining opera, ballet, visual arts, and stagecraft into a unified work.
How many operas did Wagner write?

He completed 13 operas, including early works like Rienzi and the mature works from Der fliegende Holländer to Parsifal.
Where is Richard Wagner buried?

He is buried in the garden of Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth, Germany.
What is the significance of the covered orchestra pit at Bayreuth?

The pit is covered to ensure the singers are not overpowered by the orchestra, which is of symphonic proportions in Wagner’s operas.
Did Richard Wagner have a son named Siegfried?

Yes, his son Siegfried Wagner born 1869 became a composer and conductor.
What is the Wagner Museum in Lucerne?

The museum is dedicated to the Wagner family’s history and includes documents about their help to Jewish musicians fleeing the Nazi regime in the 1930s.
What instrument did Wagner play as a child?

He studied piano from age 7 and could play by ear and improvise.
What was Wagner's first successful opera?

His third opera Rienzi, staged in 1842, brought him acclaim.
Who was Hans von Bülow to Wagner?

Hans von Bülow was the conductor who premiered Tristan und Isolde in 1865, and his wife Cosima later married Wagner.
What is the Ring cycle?

Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung.
Did Wagner write his own librettos?

Yes, he wrote the librettos for all his operas, a departure from most composers.
What was Wagner's relationship with Adolf Hitler?

Hitler was an admirer of Wagner’s music; he claimed to have seen Rienzi at least 40 times.
How did Wagner's marriage to Minna end?

His troubled marriage to Christine Wilhelmine Planer ended in 1866 after her extramarital affairs and their debts.

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Audited & updated by

Emma has 8 years of editorial experience and a very clear idea of what a good biography looks like. At Famousy, she runs the editorial operation and decides what meets the bar and what doesn't. She's the kind of editor who remembers the profiles she pushed back on more clearly than the ones she approved. That's not a complaint. That's exactly why the site reads the way it does.

Published on March 3, 2026

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