Understanding Wagner

“Wagner sums up modernity. No matter what you do, you have to start by being a Wagnerian.” Nietzsche Glorified in France and Germany in the 19th century, Wagner's image was distorted: the revolutionary art of this close associate of Bakunin would soon be enlisted by the Nazis in the service of their propaganda. The authors look back at Wagner's life, his philosophy and the contrasting reception of his work. They remind us of the emotional shock he caused and demonstrate that there is a before and after Wagner in European cultural history.