Watch Wagner

Possible description: Wagner is a 1983 biographical drama film about the German composer Richard Wagner, directed by Tony Palmer and starring Richard Burton as Wagner, Vanessa Redgrave as his wife Cosima, László Gálffi as his patron King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and John Gielgud as conductor Hans von Bülow. The film follows the life of Wagner from his early struggles as an opera composer to his controversial marriage to Cosima, his political and financial crises, and his ideological and artistic evolution that led to his monumental work, the Ring cycle.

The film opens with Wagner in Zurich in 1864, where he seeks refuge from his creditors and his estranged wife Minna, who dies soon after. Wagner meets Cosima, who is the daughter of Franz Liszt and the wife of von Bülow, a musician who admires Wagner's talent and sponsors his work. Wagner and Cosima fall in love and elope to Italy, causing a scandal and a rift with Liszt and von Bülow. Wagner explains to Cosima his vision of music as a spiritual force that unites art and life, and proposes to write a cycle of four operas that would encompass his philosophy and mythology. Cosima becomes his muse, his assistant, and his confidante, and bears him three children, including Siegfried, who would also become a composer.

However, Wagner faces several obstacles in realizing his dream, such as his lack of money, his enemies in the music establishment, and his controversial theories of German nationalism and anti-Semitism. He seeks support from King Ludwig II, who becomes his patron and his friend, but also his source of dependence and manipulation. Wagner lives a luxurious and secluded life in Ludwig's castles, where he writes most of his music and indulges in his fantasies of power and glory. He also meets Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his friend and benefactor Otto Wesendonck, who inspires him and his wife in different ways. Wagner imagines her as his muse for the opera Tristan und Isolde, while Cosima is inspired to create a diary of her life with Wagner and her reflections on art, love, and politics.

As Wagner's fame and ambition grow, his controversies and scandals also escalate. He becomes involved in the revolutionary movements of his time, including the failed uprising against Prussia in 1849, and publishes essays on art and politics that alienate some of his supporters and provoke some of his opponents. He also faces personal tragedies, such as the death of his daughter Eva and the discovery of his illegitimate daughter with Wesendonck. These events lead Wagner to confront his own flaws and his own mortality, and to seek redemption and transcendence through his music. He completes the Ring cycle, which he considers his magnum opus and his legacy, and performs it in Bayreuth, a theater he builds for that purpose.

The film ends with Wagner's death in Venice in 1883, where he succumbs to a heart attack and is buried in a simple plot beside his favorite dog. Cosima survives him for many decades, and continues to preserve and promote his works and his ideas, despite the controversies and the changes of the times. Wagner's legacy as a composer and a cultural icon remains a subject of debate and inspiration to this day, as his music and his myths continue to resonate with different audiences and contexts.

Overall, Wagner is a visually stunning and intellectually engaging film that delves into the complex and controversial life of one of the most influential and enigmatic composers in history. The performances of the main actors are outstanding, especially Burton's portrayal of Wagner as a flawed genius who is both charismatic and outrageous. The music is also a highlight, as it features many of Wagner's most famous and powerful works, such as Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde, and the Ring cycle. The film may be too long and too dense for some viewers, and may require some prior knowledge of Wagner and his works to fully appreciate. However, for those who are interested in music history, biographical dramas, or epic films, Wagner is a must-see experience that offers a glimpse into the mind and the soul of a visionary artist.

Wagner is a 1983 drama with a runtime of 5 hours.