Wagner's Ring Cycle and the Greeks

by Daniel H. Foster

Overview

Through his reading of primary and secondary classical sources, as well as his theoretical writings, Richard Wagner developed a Hegelian-inspired theory linking the evolution of classical Greek politics and poetry. This book demonstrates how, by turning theory into practice, Wagner used this evolutionary paradigm to shape the music and the libretto of the Ring cycle. Foster describes how each of the Ring's operas represents a particular phase of Greek poetic and political development: Das Rheingold and Die Walküre create epic national identity in its earlier and later stages respectively; Siegfried expresses lyric personal identity; and Götterdämmerung destructively culminates with a tragi-comedy about civic identity. This study sees the Greeks through the lens of those scholars whose work influenced Wagner most, focusing on epic, lyric, and comedy, as well as Greek tragedy. Most significantly, the book interrogates the ways in which Wagner uses Greek aesthetics to further his own ideological goals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521517393
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/04/2010
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Opera
Pages:	398
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Daniel H. Foster is Assistant Professor of Theater Studies at Duke University, and Visiting Scholar at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Table of Contents

List of musical examples ix

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xviii

Introduction 1

Part I Epic

1 Introduction: what is epic? 33

2 Retrospective narrative and the epic process 45

3 The orchestral narrator and elementary epic 65

4 Spiritual and factual realities in epic 83

Part II Lyric

5 Introduction: what is lyric? 111

6 Orpheus and lyric liberation 122

7 First-person opera and lyric identity 140

8 Lyric and the rebirth of tragedy 157

Part III Drama

9 Introduction: what is drama? 183

10 Opera and tragedy 197

11 Opera and comedy 220

12 Resolution and ambiguity in comedy and tragedy 235

Epilogue: Time, the Ring, and Performance Studies 253

Appendices Wagner's primary and secondary sources 267

Appendix A Wagner's primary sources 269

Appendix B Secondary scholarship by authors Wagner knew personally 276

Appendix C Secondary scholarship by authors Wagner knew by reputation or by reading 284

Notes 295

Bibliography 352

Index 363

Editorial Reviews

"Foster writes in a lucid, readable style with extensive annotation, and the book has been handsomely designed and produced by Cambridge University Press."
-Michael Ewans,University of Newcastle,Australia

"The prose is clear and persuasive, and the book is a valuable addition to any music library. It will appeal to scholar and student alike, especially those interested in nineteenth century opera, the influence of Greek classicism in modern Europe, and Wagner’s ideological and intellectual world."
-Stephen Thursby,University of South Carolina Sumter

From the Publisher