The Wagner Clan by Jonathan Carr

The Wagner Clan by Jonathan Carr

An Economist Best Book of 2007, Jonathan Carr's The Wagner Clan proves, with the sweeping scope of a Wagnerian opera, that the history of Europe and that of the infamous composer's family are inextricably intertwined. Carr presents not only Richard Wagner himself-- musician, philosopher, philanderer, failed revolutionary, and virulent anti-Semite--but also a colorful cast of historical figures who feature in Wagner's story: Franz Liszt (whose illegitimate daughter Cosima married Wagner); Friedrich Nietzsche; Arthur Schopenhauer; Richard Strauss; Gustav Mahler; Arturo Toscanini; Joseph Goebbels; Hermann Goring; and the Wolf himself, Adolf Hitler, a passionate fan of the Master's music and an adopted uncle to Wagner's grandchildren. Wagner's British-born daughter-in-law, Winifred, was a close friend of Hitler's and seemed momentarily positioned to marry him after the death of her husband. All through the war the Bayreuth Festival, begun by the Master himself, was supported by Hitler, who had to fill the audience with fighting men and S officers. After the war's devastation, the festival was dark for a decade until Wagner's offspring--with characteristic ambition and cunning-- revived it. The Wagner Clan is a riveting chronicle of the ascent, decline, and rehabilitation of the German nation and its most infamous family.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780871139757
ISBN 10	0871139758
Title	The Wagner Clan
Author	Jonathan Carr
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press
Year published	2007-12-21
Number of pages	400
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.