30 quotes
The oldest, truest, most beautiful organ of music, the origin to which alone our music owes its being, is the human voice.
Opera and Drama (1851)
This is Alberich's dream come true — Nibelheim, world dominion, activity, work, everywhere the oppressive feeling of steam and fog.
Cosima Wagner's Diaries (1978)
I am writing Parsifal only for my wife — if I had to depend on the German spirit, I should have nothing more to say.
Cosima Wagner's Diaries (1978)
Certain things in Mozart will and can never be excelled.
Cosima Wagner's Diaries (1978)
"Property" has acquired an almost greater sacredness in our social conscience than religion: for offence against the latter there is lenience, for damage to the former no forgiveness.
Know Thyself (1881)
"I believe in God; and Mozart, and Beethoven as his only sons."
I fixed my mind upon some theatre of first rank, that would some day produce it, and troubled myself but little as to where and when that theatre would be found.
Autobiographical Sketch (1843)
"A moment of weakness comes, for everyone, but then he feels stupid, and listens to his good sense."
I hate this fast growing tendency to chain men to machines in big factories and deprive them of all joy in their efforts — the plan will lead to cheap men and cheap products.
The July Revolution took place; with one bound I became a revolutionist, and acquired the conviction that every decently active being ought to occupy himself with politics exclusively.
Autobiographical Sketch (1843)
"Believe me, mankind's truest madness is revealed to him in dreams. All word-craft and poetry is nothing but true dream-interpretation."
Attack and defence, want and war, victory and defeat, lordship and thraldom, all sealed with the seal of blood: this from henceforth is the History of Man.
Religion and Art (1880)
"No clever person can help here; I see that clearly. Here, only stupidity can help the stupid one!"
"Are you afraid of a song, of a picture?"
These young people have no idea how to write a melody, they just give us shavings… as if they avoid melodies, for fear of having perhaps stolen them from someone else.
"I, who rule by means of contracts, am now slave to my contracts."
"My child, all is lost for him, and he will never achieve the rank of 'Master' in any land, because someone who is born a master, always has the lowest standing among 'Masters'."
"To my horror I always find only myself in all that I create; the Other, whom I need, I never find: a free man himself must create himself; I can only create slaves!"
"If a student always follows the teacher's instructions, how can he accomplish something which the teacher cannot accomplish? Now go away and don't interfere, or I'll put you into the fire!"
The error in the art-genre of Opera consists herein: a Means of expression (Music) has been made the end, while the End of expression (the Drama) has been made a means.
Opera and Drama (1851)