From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10–This evenhanded biography presents a portrait of the great yet flawed artist. Born into obscurity, convinced of his own genius at a young age, Wagner struggled constantly with establishment opposition to his radical ideas about opera and against his personal weaknesses, met with both failure and triumph, and left behind a mixed legacy of transcendently beautiful music and genuinely disturbing racial views. The authors don't shy away from the more unsavory aspects of their subject's character and personality–his chronic overspending, habitual infidelity, and anti-Semitic paranoia, to name just a few–but they also showcase his prodigious talent and the enduring innovations he brought to modern opera. This title goes well beyond the standard information usually provided in books about classical musicians, and does so with considerable style. The plot of Wagner's life is front and center, as it should be, and the authors hit every note clearly. Readers are left to form their own opinions as to the composer's ultimate place in history. Period photos and full-color reproductions provide glimpses into his life and times.–Sophie R. Brookover, Camden County Library, Voorhees, N Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Elizabeth D. Schafer

Passion and chaos characterized Richard Wagner. Both admired and despised, the talented Wagner dramatically impacted opera quality. Wagner's tumultuous life is chronologically presented as he moved around nineteenth-century Europe, seeking acceptance, being exiled, and avoiding enemies. His story is examined in context with historical events, particularly European revolutions and German nationalism, which he publicly supported. When his early compositions failed, Wagner persevered. His emphasis on plots inspired by mythology and German folktales and his introduction of musical leifmotifs confused audiences accustomed to traditional opera presentations. Wagner insisted on overseeing all aspects of his operas, from instructing actors to designing the elaborate Bayreuth Theater, which still hosts an annual Wagner festival. His outrageous behavior, including writing anti-Semitic pamphlets and having affairs with colleagues' wives, sometimes caused Wagner professional distress. Because of these diversions, Wagner's operas often took years or even decades to create. His extravagant spending resulted in creditors seizing his property and forcing his reliance on family and friends for housing and money. Wagner's fervor for opera attracted such patrons as King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Wagner's Ring cycle inspired such writers as J. R. R. Tolkien. Illustrations, a timeline, report resources, and a detailed glossary help readers navigate this complex book which focuses on an historic figure infrequently featured in children's books. This biography is part of the "Classical Composers Series." 2004, Morgan Reynolds Publishing, Ages 12 up.

School Library Journal