ROMANCE IN MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 937, 2 April 1930, Page 9

ROMANCE IN MUSIC

WAGNER’S WIDOW DEAD AT 93 YEARS DAUGHTER OF FRANZ LISZT United * P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 10.40 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. The death is announced of Frau Cosima Wagner, widow of the late Richard Wagner, the noted musician and composer. She was aged 93 years. The death of Frau Cosima Wagner is associated with one of the most romantic stories in musical history, and it is expected that many interesting documents will now be revealed, and many disclosures made which will enlighten the world, not only upon the loves of the late great composer, Wagner, but also upon the influence of liis compositions. Frau Cosima Wagner was the daughter of the famous composer and pianist, Franz Liszt and Marie, Comtesse d’Agoult, who later wrote as “Daniel Stern.” During her father’s years in Weimar (1847-57) she married Hans von Bulow, the well-known conductor, but in November. 1863. she transferred her affections to Richard

Wagner. She was not, however, divorced until July, 1870. In August of the same year she was married to Wagner at Lucerne, and it is undoubted, even by critics, who emphasise the influence of Wagner’s first wife, that Cosima’s understanding and sympathy assisted him to a great extent in the production of his music-drama at Bayreuth. When Wagner died in ISB3. Cosima undertook to carry on the Bayreuth tradition and keep Wagner’s memory green. This she did with great success, bringing the festival performance to a high pitch of excellence. Later she handed over the task to her son Siegfried Wagner, but remained for long the outstanding figure at Bayreuth by her wide culture and fascinating conversation. The war and its consequences brought gloomy days to Bayreuth, especially as at the beginning of 1914 the copyright of Wagner’s works expired and even “Parsifal,” hitherto reserved for Bayreuth alone, could be given in any theatre. The widow, therefore, was compelled to dispose of many Wagner relics, but a relief fund was started by German stage artists, and eventually it was possible to resume the festival performances. Three of Cosima Wagner’s children belong to the marriage with Hans von Bulow. The other two, Eva (1867) and Siegfried (1869), to the union with Wagner. Eva married in 1908 the English author Houston Stewart Chamberlain.