Special Exhibition "No Weber, No Wagner"

The names Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner are inextricably linked to the slopes of the Elbe in Dresden. Both served as court Kapellmeisters in the royal capital, and both sought their summer residences in the rural surroundings of Pillnitz. What is less well known is that there were also numerous points of connection between the two composers. For the young Richard Wagner in particular, Weber—a composer and conductor 27 years his senior—was a role model, if not an idol. The exhibition at the Carl Maria von Weber Museum, supported by the Richard Wagner Sites in Graupa, explores Weber’s formative influence on the young Richard Wagner. Connections between Weber and Wagner’s stepfather, the actor and painter Ludwig Geyer, are examined, as is Wagner’s affinity for *Der Freischütz*. The exhibition draws primarily on references from Wagner’s autobiography *Mein Leben* (*My Life*), the first edition of which will be on display. In his autobiography, Wagner reported in detail on his encounters with Weber and his music. In addition, films and artifacts related to the transfer of Weber’s remains from London will be shown. Wagner had composed the music for the occasion and also written a eulogy, which he delivered in 1844 at the Old Catholic Cemetery. This broadens our perspective on Richard Wagner, whose career would certainly have taken a different course without Weber’s influence...