AS SEEN ON TV: WAGNER

On the New York Times website, Dick Cavett shares his memories about how he lured Richard Burton into appearing on his talk show back in 1980. You can also see the first night of that appearance at the site, with Burton resplendent in his bright red argyle socks....

It's the little things that will inspire me to publish a particular "As Seen On TV" showcase.....

RICHARD WAGNER

AS SEEN IN:
"Wagner"

AS PLAYED BY:
Richard Burton

Here's how Wikipedia begins their profile of the controversial operatic legend:

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813, Leipzig, Germany – 13 February 1883, Venice, Italy) was a German composer, conductor, theatre director and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or "music dramas", as they were later called). Unlike most other great opera composers, Wagner wrote both the scenario and libretto for his works.

Wagner's compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for contrapuntal texture, rich chromaticism, harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate use of leitmotifs: musical themes associated with particular characters, locales or plot elements. Wagner pioneered advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, which greatly influenced the development of European classical music.

He transformed musical thought through his idea of Gesamtkunstwerk ("total artwork"), the synthesis of all the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts, epitomized by his monumental four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1876). To try to stage these works as he imagined them, Wagner built his own opera house, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.

Based on this picture of the real Wagner, I think John Wayne looked more like him.....

BCnU!