King Ludwig II and Richard Wagner

The Bavarian fairy tale king Ludwig II. The composer Richard Wagner had a special and intimate relationship. Ludwig II was considered a great lover of art and culture and he had a great fascination for Wagner’s works in particular. He promoted the indebted composer wherever he could, and the legendary and fairytale world, which Wagner frequently addressed in his works, is depicted in countless paintings and murals in the castles of the fairytale king.

It was in the year 1861, as the then Crown Prince Ludwig II. for the first time saw the Wagner operas Tannhäuser and Lohengrin. Probably this resulted in his special preference for Wagner’s works and the legendary and fairytale world they addressed. After the death of his father Maximilian II on 10. March 1864, He became Ludwig II. at the age of only 18 He was proclaimed King of Bavaria. From the beginning of his reign, he made a name for himself as a great promoter of art and culture. Richard Wagner in particular benefited from this in the following period. Only round 2 Months after his appointment as king, Ludwig II met the composer for the first time. It quickly developed an intimate friendship between the fairy tale king and the at that time ailing and indebted Wagner. Ludwig II. Wagner provided considerable sums of money and financed his musical drama “The Ring of the Nibelungen”. Wagner, who in King Ludwig II. When he saw his savior, he did everything possible to strengthen the king in his youthful enthusiasms and ideals. Amb 10. June 1865 The premiere of the Wagner work “Tristan and Isolde” took place in Munich. The people hailed Ludwig II. Welcomed in the Royal Court Theatre and at the end of the performance the audience also celebrated the composer with minute-long applauses.

Since Richard Wagner had made many enemies due to his excessive lifestyle and a certain arrogance in Bavaria and now also tried to gain political influence from the king, the pressure from the state government and the citizens of Munich on Ludwig II. to expel Wagner from Bavaria increased. In order to prevent an escalation, the monarch finally had to give in and he demanded Wagner in December 1865 Leaving Bavaria. However, the friendship of the two men was not further affected. After expelling Wagner from the country, Ludwig temporarily suffered from depression and even thought of resignation. Wagner, however, had an appeasing effect on the king and prevented him from doing so. The Wagner operas “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” (June) 1868), “The Rheingold” (September) 1869) and "The Valkyrie" (June) 1870) premiered at the National Theatre in Munich. Ludwig’s fascination with Wagner’s works grew so much that he 1872 He even performed complete operas of the composer on his own. He also financed the Richard Wagner Festspielhaus in Bayreuth.

Ludwig’s great admiration for Wagner and his works is also reflected above all in the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle, which stands at the gates of the city of Füssen in a picturesque rock landscape. The opulently furnished castle, reminiscent of an imposing medieval castle from the outside, was dedicated to Wagner as a stamp of friendship and numerous paintings and murals show motifs from the legendary and fairytale world. Neuschwanstein was created by Ludwig II as a symbol of Romanticism and served him virtually as a habitable theatre backdrop. However, it never happened that Richard Wagner entered Neuschwanstein Castle. The imposing magnificent building is today one of the most important sights of Germany and is visited annually by well over one million people from all over the world. In year 2007 Neuschwanstein Castle even reached the finals in the election for the new seven wonders of the world. Directly opposite is the romantic residential palace Hohenschwangau, in which King Ludwig II. He spent much of his childhood and adolescence and where Richard Wagner occasionally visited.

In year 2013 The famous composer Richard Wagner is once again on everyone’s lips. to his 130. the date of death; and 200. Birthday, expect culture and music lovers in the Wagner year 2013 numerous highlights. Especially in his native city of Leipzig and his active city of Bayreuth and the Bayreuth Festival, there will be numerous specials, operas and concerts. Among other things, you can 22. May 2013 a concert to 200. The composer’s birthday is held by Christian Thielemann, one of the best Wagner interpreters worldwide, together with the orchestra Bayreuth and first-class soloists. In addition, both at the Leipzig Opera and at the Oberfrankenhalle Bayreuth, the early works of Wagner’s “Die Fee”, “Das Liebesverbot” and “Rienzi” will be experienced. Culture and music lovers are waiting in the Wagner year 2013 A lot of highlights, of which the fairy tale king Ludwig II. would be delighted. Anyone who experiences the works of Wagner can understand why Ludwig II. He was so fascinated by these performances.