Wagner: Philosophy and Revolution

Wagner as revolutionary philosopher: a new reading of a trilogy of texts written by the composer in the aftermath of the failed Dresden UprisingForced into exile to avoid arrest after taking part in the failed Dresden Uprising in 1849, Richard Wagner turned to philosophical writing, producing in rapid succession three theoretical works.In this compelling study, Brian O’Connor traces Wagner’s emergence in these texts as a radical political thinker with a distinctive revolutionary vision.O’Connor describes Wagner’s transformation from publicly engaged commentator to active insurrectionist, showing how revolution’s failure redirected Wagner’s energies toward systematic philosophical reflection.For a crucial period, this theoretical work took precedence over musical composition. At the heart of O’Connor’s account is Wagner’s philosophical imagination.He explores Wagner’s conception of aesthetic spontaneity as a model of individual freedom and his belief in collective artistic creation as t