Movie concert by the Staatskapelle Weimar »Richard Wagner« (1913)

In cooperation with the Europäische FilmPhilharmonie

The silent film biography of the composer Richard Wagner - the first German biopic ever - was made on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 1913. The role of Wagner was played by the then famous composer Giuseppe Becce himself, and he also penned the music composed especially for the film. And why wasn't Wagner played purely? Quite simple: The Wagner heirs demanded such high royalties for the use of original music that it was decided without further ado to use a new composition - of course completely in the spirit of the master and at the same time adapted to the requirements of the silent film! 

The film itself is a bow to the genius and traces (idealizing) the stages of his life - starting with his studies, his first job at the Laustädter Theater, his successes and failures in Dresden up to his promotion by King Ludwig II. There is a lot of emotion involved, grand gestures, sprawling historical motifs, a chain of episodes from the life of the born self-promoter and unmistakable music revolutionary. Wagner cult from the perspective of the times of Kaiser Wilhelm!

»Richard Wagner« (1913)
Directed by Carl Froelich / Music and starring Giuseppe Becce

FILMPHILHARMONIC EDITION
Film with permission of the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation,
Music with permission of Giuseppe Becce/Bernd Schultheis.