The Wagner Interviews: Simon Callow

Is Richard Wagner a genius or a monster? Is his music a remedy or a poison? As the opera world celebrates his 200th birthday, Wagner's legacy remains the source of fiery debate. To mark his bicentenary, the KT Wong Foundation takes you to an exciting tour of the man and his music, in the company of those who know Wagner best: singers, conductors, directors, composers. Here world renowned actor and writer Simon Callow shares his thoughts.
www.ktwong.org
200岁的瓦格纳，是凡人还是偶像？他的音乐，是直面人生还是言不由衷。对瓦格纳的遗产，后人当何以应对？由拿督黄纪达基金会在三国五地采访，与睿智、有趣、尖锐的人物交谈，了解每人心中的瓦格纳。《众说纷纭瓦格纳》，即将问世。

[@shelfstacker9317]

Brilliantly said from Simon Callow....a lot of Wagner's musical & dramatic ideas for "Die Sieger" ..."The Victors"...his proposed Buddhist opera were incorporated into "Tristan" & "Parsifal"...

[@GazmendCeno]

The most brilliant interview I have seen about Wagner on the s channel! BRAVO

[@Ceciliaseg64]

Love this actor's ideas on the piece and I totally agree about why some people would be reluctant to approach it. Well, some may think it an extremely long piece to begin with, but I can assure you if you just listen to it, time really does not matter, and for me, the sense of reality disappears completely. The beauty of the music is overwhelming but I warn you, some may not be able to able to deal with the effect that can have on you. You may experience the same feelings of Parsifal, a fool who cannot understand the big picture, but there's some hope for you near the end of the work. Understanding the pain of others can help you to become a better person who would be able to help them and help yourself. I've never been eloquent, sorry

[@nasirwillie2136]

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[@wilsonray2497]

@Nasir Willie Instablaster =)

[@nasirwillie2136]

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[@nasirwillie2136]

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[@wilsonray2497]

@Nasir Willie glad I could help xD

[@garylysaght1579]

Beautiful interview.

[@davidjames1998]

He's a really good actor, didn't know he was so into music.

[@alexanderkoldo-lewis1839]

He is an amazing intellectual, who started by acting. He's much more than one of the best actors alive, just look at his literary output (memoirs, biographies, books about acting, etc.)

[@hwdprtn7670]

He played Schikaneder in Amadues. That's the first thing I know about his connection with classical music.

[@paulybarr]

@@hwdprtn7670 He played Mozart in the original theatre production, several years before that.

[@annecole9124]

A great pleasure!

[@johntravena119]

I would love to experience opera - there are many arias that I love but the recitative loses my attention, especially as I don’t know the language operas are written in.

[@nqx]

Here's the answer to the question at 1:38. From Alfred Einstein's 'Mozart'....Wagner's writings about Mozart---"How little did this richest-gifted of all musicians understand our modern music-maker's trick of building gaudy towers of music on hollow, valueless foundation, and playing the rapt and the inspired where all the poetaster's botch is void and flimsy, the better to show the Musician is the jack in the office and can go to any length he pleases, even to making something out of nothing--the same as the good God!"

[@stthomasmore4811]

What's happened to Mr. Callow's face? Hope he's ok.

[@BatmanMCMXCIV]

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABLE!!!

[@cobybryson6668]

Awesome !!!

[@classicalperformances8777]

must be said, though, that a bad/ boring interpretation in the pit or on stage CAN kill a lot of that magic...

[@hja1891]

PARSIFAL IS full of wonderful music,, guiltiness,,atonement forgivness, and salvation... and you mention Wagners antisemitism...look what kind of antisemitism you will find in Theodor Herzls letter to Baron de Hirsch..

[@MattCondonKeyboards]

If one could ask verdi what he thought, .... Supersize +?🍹🍷🍻 (the milk to water tired&bored)

[@johnmulvey5121]

Compare the beautiful phrasing and modulated speech of Callow to the dull, flat awfulness from the interviewers mouth.