Fantasy, Geography, Wagner, and Opera^*

* A note of special thanks to the former Separately Budgeted Research Program and, more recently, to the Faculty Scholarship Incentive Program of Montclair State University, which gave me the freedom to prepare this article. Particular thanks to the referees for their detailed recommendations, to William Solecki for his stimulating suggestions, and to the word‐processing office for its excellent work.

Abstract

Wilhelm Richard Wagner fused fantasy based on epic and lore with seamless scores, using landscapes and urban images to forge spatial order on stage. As a footloose composer‐conductor, Wagner was considered a globetrotter for his time, and from trans‐European tours he drew inspiration for numerous stagings. Nine of his operas have rustic pastoral settings, with actors silhouetted against geological formations, forests, vistas of undulating terrain for pilgrimages, or raging seas, all visually believable scenery. Rienzi and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg are urban in setting, whereas Die Feen and Das Liebesverbot are set in a castle‐like format.

• aesthetics
• landscape
• opera
• Wilhelm Richard Wagner

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rolf Sternberg

Dr. Sternberg is a professor of geography at Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043–1624.