The failed Festspielhaus for Munich

Ludwig II is celebrated for his famous castles, but they might not have existed had he not been thwarted in his first architectural plans. Wagner arrived in Munich armed with enthusiastic ideas – a new school for operatic training, an institute for musicians and, above all, a revolutionary theatre in which to stage his works. Existing theatres, with their rococo decorations to divert the eye and orchestras between audience and stage, were inadequate for the sort of complete experience Wagner promoted. The solution, he told Ludwig, was to build a new theatre, the Festspielhaus, on the banks of Munich’s Isar River, to provide the right acoustics and atmosphere needed for his Teutonic sagas. To this end, Wagner invited architect Gottfried Semper to Munich to discuss plans with the king. Semper…

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History Of Royals (Digital) - 1 Issue, No. 20

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