One of the most controversial composers of the nineteenth century, Richard Wagner thoroughly revolutionized the art of opera. His introduction of musical and dramatic devices transformed the way opera was composed and performed and has had a lasting impact on stage design, lighting, and even the way audiences experience theater. But Richard Wagner also had a dark side. A passionate man who spent money with abandon, he seduced the wives of close friends and benefactors, fled from his creditors, and flaunted his influence over kings. Most unsettlingly, he had a deep and unwavering disdain for Jews. Wagner advocated German nationalism and spouted his political views as vehemently as he did his ideas about music. His powerful musical legacy will be forever complicated by his fiercely held political beliefs. Richard Wagner and German Opera recounts the compelling story of his life in vivid prose and colorful illustrations. Book jacket.